Image Attribution: “Prototype For a New Understanding” by Terryl Atkins is licensed under CC BY-SA. Vancouver, BC, Canada (See interactive map)
Prototype for a New Understanding is an artwork by Canadian Indigenous artist Brian Jungen. This mask-like creation is one of a series that reconfigure Nike Air Jordan sneakers into shapes that resemble Northwest Coast Indigenous masks. The graphic lines of the Nike swoosh and details of the design on the sneakers transform into symmetrical ‘faces’ reminiscent of Kwakiutl transformation masks. By using consumable objects (commodities) where the main value resides in the the consumer’s desire for fashionable hipness, he disrupts the effect of the Nike brand, but also comments on the general desire to brand First Nations artwork based on pseudo-recognizable motifs and traits.