Designating Northwest Coast Art as a rare and valuable national treasure.

Bill: 118-hconres-107
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Peltola, Mary Sattler [D-AK-At Large]
Introduced: 2024-05-06
Policy area: Arts, Culture, Religion
Latest action: action_date: 2024-05-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Summaries:
action_date: 2024-05-06
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This concurrent resolution recognizes that Northwest Coast Art remains a major cultural force in many Indigenous communities and contributes to the heritage and cultural diversity of this nation. It also recognizes that Northwest Coast Art should be protected under U.S. law.</p>

tv_txt: IV 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 107 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 6, 2024 Mrs. Peltola submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Designating Northwest Coast Art as a rare and valuable national treasure.

Whereas Northwest Coast Art has achieved preeminence throughout the world as an Indigenous American art form, and— (1) makes evident to the world an outstanding artistic art form of Indigenous expression; (2) is a unifying force, bridging cultural, religious, ethnic, and age differences in our diverse society; (3) is a true art form of the Northwest Coast Indigenous peoples that scientific evidence reveals evolved over a 4,000-year period, dating back to at least 10,000 years ago, and is enjoyed and appreciated by the diverse peoples that constitute the Nation; (4) has evolved into a multifaceted and complex art form based on defined formline designs and protocols governing the spatial interrelationships between the formline design component that is not replicated among any other society and that continues to give birth to and to nurture new stylistic formline designs; (5) continues to be highly sought after by museums, art collectors, and the general public and is exhibited in all major national and international museums; (6) remains significant to the Northwest Coast Indigenous societies for its cultural and spiritual values; (7) has had a historic, pervasive, and continuing influence on other genres of art in the United States; and (8) has provided a creative paradigm broadly influential on other contemporary and visual art forms; Whereas it is important for the youth of the United States to recognize and understand Northwest Coast Art as a significant part of their cultural and intellectual heritage; Whereas there exists no effective national infrastructure to support and preserve Northwest Coast Art; Whereas documentation and archival support required by such a great art form has yet to be systematically applied to Northwest Coast Art; Whereas it is in the best interest of the national welfare and all of our citizens to preserve and celebrate the unique art forms of the United States; Whereas the continuing development of new technologies and revenues of communications offers formidable possibilities as well as challenges to artists and audiences; Whereas there is an increasing emphasis on public-private partnerships at the cutting edge of support for cultural institutions and the arts; and Whereas the last decade has seen the passing of significant master artists who made definitive contributions to its survival and the further development and evolution of traditional Northwest Coast Art: Now, therefore, be it

That— (1) it is the sense of Congress that Northwest Coast Art is a rare and valuable national treasure to which we should devote support and any necessary resources to make certain that it is preserved, understood, and able to be passed down; and (2) Congress recognizes that Northwest Coast Art remains a major cultural force in many Indigenous communities and contributes to the rich heritage and cultural diversity of this Nation and should be protected under the laws of the United States.