Right here stands Atala Kivliktwok Okitun Dukik. It is also known as The Golden Money Moon. This sculpture by Lawrence Beck has a story. It is more than just steel and enamel.
Lawrence Beck was an Alaskan Native sculptor. He died of a heart attack March 27 at 55. There was a noon wake to celebrate his life in Golden Gardens Park.
Twenty years prior, Beck received a grant. The Seattle Arts Commission gave it to him for a sculpture at Golden Gardens. This was a turning point. It paved the way for national acclaim.
Beck had always been interested in native art. He felt pressure in university to do Minimalist work. The Seattle-born artist earned a master of fine arts degree in sculpture in 1965.
After spending a summer in Alaska, he had doubts about Minimalism. Contemporary art seemed spiritually empty to him.
Beck embellished the steel with shamanic Eskimo graphics. He used beaded welding on the 12-foot work.
In 1979, Beck was in a junkyard. A rearview mirror reminded him of a seal’s head. He put feathers on it turning it into a mask. He made spirit masks with dental mirrors, feathers, junk chrome, and hubcaps. He used modern society castoffs like his ancestors used beach flotsam.
Ted Jonsson was a longtime friend. He said Beck had a great way of turning things around and making light of them. He was a great punner and always changing things around.
Beck’s work has been featured at the Seattle Art Museum. It has also been displayed at the UW’s Henry Art Gallery. His art was showcased in national tours of native art. You can also find his work at Highline Community College and Boeing Field.
One gallery director said Beck changed Eskimo art forever. He broadened horizons for all Native artists.
His son, Kristopher Beck, said he wasn’t a serious, dedicated artist. He saw the humorous side of everything.
The Golden Money Moon is inspired by Alaskan Eskimo and Indian art. Beck combined these forms with a contemporary twist. This included steel fabrication and hansa yellow paint.
The sculpture is an innukshuk. This is an Eskimo word for an object with sculptural presence. The Golden Money Moon stands 144 inches by 96 inches by 216 inches. It was created as part of the GOLDEN GARDENS PROJECT in 1976. The sculpture is located in Golden Gardens Park.
So as you gaze upon The Golden Money Moon remember Lawrence Beck. Remember his journey from minimalism to native art. See the humor and spirit in the steel and enamel.