Bear, Juneau Airport
2018 Six Week Spotlight
John Hagen
Alaska’s major cities – Anchorage, Juneau and Fairbanks – are sometimes mocked for not being the “real” Alaska. The pavement, amenities and buildings don’t exude the wildness of Alaska like remote and rural parts of the state. Yet even in our Alaska cities we try to remind ourselves, and our visitors, that the “true” Alaska is only a short drive or hike away.
Brown bears are a popular and powerful symbol of Alaska. They’re a strong symbol of Alaskans livelihood and identity. They represent the very real wildness of Alaska that still exists, and the dangerous that exist there. We use bears to express that wildness and Alaskans use bears to bring the wild into our cities. We use them to remind people in malls, airports and gift stores that they are still in Alaska, even if safely surrounded by walls and buildings.
But the symbolism also expresses another idea – that Alaska has been civilized. By using the symbol of the bear in our urban centers, we are also reminded the wild has been conquered and that things that can hurt us can also be hunted, stuffed and put inside for our enjoyment.
This idea of bringing the Alaska wilderness into our urban centers is an idea about our sense of place. Location is the heart of identity for most Alaskans. The inspiration for my work is a fascination with how people respond to the world around them. This series – half-seriously, half humorously – explores how we use taxidermy brown bears to bring the wilderness to us.
John Hagen
Wild Things, gallery interior