Nicholas Galanin (pronounced gah-LANN-in) is a Tlingit and Unangax̂ multi-disciplinary artist and musician from Alaska. His work often explores a dialogue of change and identity between Native and non-Native communities. Background Nicholas Galanin was born in Sitka, Alaska, in 1979. As a young boy, he learned to work with jewelry and metals from his father and uncle. He is also the grandchild of master carver George Benson. At the age of eighteen, Galanin worked a desk job at the Sitka National Historical Park. When he was discovered drawing Tlingit art, on a slow day at the park, he was informed that he was only allowed to read Russian history books during working hours. So, he quit his job to pursue art. He recalls this as his last job that was non-creative. In 2003, At London Guildhall University in England, he studied silversmithing and received a Bachelors of Fine Arts with honors in Jewelry Design & Silversmithing. In 2007, he received a Masters of Fine Arts in indigenous visual arts at Massey University in New Zealand. Galanin has also done apprenticeships with master carvers and jewelers. Artwork Totems to Turquoise & What Have We Become? His first exhibition, in 2004, was entitled Totems to Turquoise, and was hosted at the Museum of Natural History in New York City. In 2006, he created a book sculpture series, entitled What Have We Become? which incorporated blank pages and pages from 19th century anthropological books, which he "carved into, hand cut and laser engraved". Tsu Heidei Shugaxtutaan In 2008, Galanin's work was featured in "Beat Nation: Art, Hip Hop and Aboriginal Culture" exhibition at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery. It was co-curated by Kathleen Ritter and Tania Willard, and featured the work of twenty-three aboriginal artists. Galanin's entry, entitled Tsu Heidei Shugaxtutaan, is a two-part looping video of dance and music that mixes elements of traditional Tlingit and hip hop. In the first video, David "Elsewhere" Bernal is popping to a customary Tlingit song. In the second, Dan Littlefield appears in customary Tlingit regalia and dances to electronic music. The Tlingit song contains the words used in the title of the piece, Tsu Heidei Shugaxtutaan, which is pronounced "soo HAYdee shoe GAK tu tahn" and means "We Will Again Open This Container of Wisdom That Has Been Left in Our Care". In 2012, this work was featured in "Shapeshifting: Transformations in Native American