Nicholas Galanin

Tlingit/Aleut, born 1979

BiographyNicholas Galanin is a Native Alaskan artist of Tlingit and Unangax̂ ancestry. His work, ranging from large scale installations, to photographs, to performance-based art, is all rooted in his connection to land and his ongoing, deliberate and intentional engagement with both the past and contemporary culture. His works, like those of his ancestors are vessels of history, cultural and technological knowledge, and pride in his heritage.

Galanin earned his BFA at London Guildhall University, his MFA at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand, and he has apprenticed with master carvers and jewelers. Galanin was a participant in both the 2020 Biennale of Sydney and the 2019 Whitney Biennial. He participated in the 2017 Venice Biennale in the Native American Pavilion. Galanin’s work is in permanent collections such as The Museum of Modern Art in New York, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Art Institute of Chicago, Detroit Institute of Arts, The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the Denver Art Museum, Princeton, University Art Museum, Portland Art Museum, Vancouver Art Gallery, and Cornell University Art Museum among others. Galanin was recently awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for 2024.

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