Insatiable beings is the first U.S. museum survey dedicated to the late Beau Dick (1955–2017), Kwakwaka’wakw Hereditary Chief, activist, and master carver. Renowned internationally for his powerful formline masks and sculptures, Dick created works that bridge ancestral knowledge and contemporary experience. His carvings—deeply rooted in oral histories, cosmology, and ceremonial life—embody a living tradition that continues to shape both cultural identity and community practice across the Northwest Coast.

The exhibition brings together an extraordinary selection of masks and sculptures, including many works originally created to be danced in potlatch ceremonies. These pieces carry the marks of movement, song, and collective gathering, revealing Dick’s belief that art exists not solely for display but as part of a larger cycle of use, renewal, and spiritual purpose. Throughout Insatiable beings, the emphasis remains on the vitality of the stories embedded in these objects and the artist’s profound commitment to community. Dick understood each carving as a vessel of knowledge and a conduit between past and present, the human and the spirit world.

Beyond their ceremonial significance, Dick’s works also articulate a sharp critique of extractive capitalist systems and the long legacies of colonial violence. His 2013 and 2014 Journey to Ottawa, a powerful activist intervention, underscored his conviction that artistic practice could be a form of political resistance and collective healing. By centering Dick’s voice and the perspectives of those closest to him, Insatiable beings offers a layered and deeply resonant portrait of an artist who viewed tradition as a dynamic force—one capable of fostering resilience, mentorship, and cultural resurgence across generations.