Rick Bartow
Twernish, 2001
drypoint with aquatint on Kozo dyed with "Benibana" (safflower)
image 5 x 6 in
paper 11 x 9 in
paper 11 x 9 in
Roman numeral edition of X (10)
BAR1127
Copyright R.E. Bartow Trusts
$ 1,000.00
Only one copy of this work is available: Roman Numeral edition # VI/X.
In Yurok Language, twerr-nee'sh, meaning spawning salmon
Benibana is the yellow petals of the safflower blossom that when fermented turns red and compressed into cakes, which are used to dye products in a range from yellow to red, depending on the treatment of the cake. Geisha from Kyoto would paint their lips with Benibana and rich nobles wore kimono dyed with the flower. It is very expensive.
In 2006, Bartow reflected on his relationship to salmon:
"Through my participation in ceremony at our Sang Song Salmon sweathouse my relationship with the salmon is strengthened by song, prayer and experience as the salmon spawn in the creek that flows 20 feet from the sweathouse door. We have many "new" stories to add to the "old" stories and the drawing in discussion would certainly be fueled by these facts, however it is not an illustration of any one story. It is, like a majority of my work, a piece that "occurred", born of personal experience, respect and reverence for ceremony and renewal."
Originally told by Rick Bartow to Truman Lowe while at NMAI. Truman shared with Rebecca Rockom, August 30, 2016:
Rick was camping by a river and had set up a tent. Early in the evening he made a fire and was having a quiet moment: contemplating the scene, thinking about his day and considering what the next day would bring. Later, he crawled into the tent, but couldn’t get to sleep; he kept hearing voices in the distance. The sounds got closer and soon he could understand some of the words – conversations about taking a trip. The voices headed upstream, so Rick got out of his tent and went down to the river. He looked up and down the river, but couldn’t see anything so went back to his tent. Again, he heard the voices! So Rick got back out of his tent and this time went into the river. He then recognized the salmon talking to one another about their day and their upcoming plans. Just a regular end of day conversation.
Only one print of this is available: Roman Numeral edition #VI/X