James Hart (7idansuu)

Born in 1952 into the Eagle Clan at Old Massett, Haida Gwaii, Haida master carver and hereditary chief 7idansuu (pronounced “ee-dan-soo”), James Hart, has been carving since 1979. He is also a skilled jeweler and printer and is considered a pioneer among Haida artists in the use of bronze casting. Hart has both replicated traditional Haida totem poles and designed his own poles and sculptures for the Museum of Anthropolgy, Vancouver, Old Massett and Skidegate, Haida Gwaii, Ottawa, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Helsingborg, Sweden, Pau, France, and Lausanne, Switzerland. Between 2009 and 2013, Hart created, designed and carved The Dance Screen (The Scream Too), a monumental sculpture that now resides at the Audain Art Museum in Whistler, James Hart was awarded the Order of British Columbia in 2003, and an Honourary Doctorate of Letters by the Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design in 2004.