Sítʼ Aantʼaakú

Artist Statement: Sítʼ Aantʼaakú is an interpretation of the Mendenhall Glacier, exploring the connections among Alaskan elements. The mix of realistic and abstract forms demonstrates the unique quality of the Alaskan landscape. The Indigenous element of formline represents the importance of the generations before us (melted glacial water below), the present (the glacier), and future generations (the formline in the sky). The plants at the bottom of the art piece are all species native to the Juneau region, many of them associated with Indigenous practices and traditions. The plants from left to right are: devil’s club (s’áxt’), fiddlehead fern (K’wálx), Alaska blueberry (kanatʼá), twisted stalk watermelon berry (tleikw kahínti), salmonberry (was’x’aan tléiɢu), thimbleberry (chʼeix̱ʼ), and fireweed (Lóol).Conservation and climate regulations are vital to protecting Alaska for future generations. Regulations must address the impact tourism has on this unique and fragile environment that the Tlingit and Haida people have subsisted from for generations. Through this piece, Riley aims to remind viewers of the importance of protecting Alaska for the future.