Ircenrraat: extraordinary people who appear in people or animal form.

My show consists of paintings with gouache and acrylics, photographs, and reliefs and monotype prints that depict imagery of Yup’ik theology and worldviews and the nomadic lifestyle and landscapes.

I was inspired of this imaginative world one day in a boat drifting down the Kuskokwim River at dusk, where the mind meets daydream. It was in that sun-glaring moment my rendition of a peaceful community began. The river turns a corner and the entire village of peaceful, happy people was standing on the riverbanks wearing masks. Each and every person in harmony within their colorful faces eagerly aware of the surroundings that is plentiful and giving.

You will see colorful landscapes of gathering scenes on the tundra, hillside villages along the Kuskokwim River that reveals a nomadic group of people doing daily activities. Human figures with masks that represent who they are. No distinction of race. Only their masks will unify their race. For the underlying notion to thought is we are all human.

This fictitious environment lives in harmony. The masks portray characteristics distinguished by the many facets of the masks we wear. The underlying statement is that we present ourselves of the mask we wear, to the individual we are. No one is above or beyond the next. We are all equals to standards of visual acceptance.

Using this methodology, I want to present to the viewer, we are all human beings, No matter what mask we use.

Ryan Romer, Yup’ik/Athabaskan