Seneca and Haudenosaunee (People of the Long House) people believe animals to be our First Teachers. Companion Species (Repose) is a work in a larger series by Seneca artist Marie Watt that explores, as she explains, the “reciprocal relationship humans have with nature, and our responsibilities as responsive stewards.”

Composed of glass and wood, the sculpture draws on the iconography of the she-wolf, a recurring presence in Watt’s art. The artist says of the animal, “The She-Wolf is mother-like, but not just in the biological sense: Our ecosystem needs balanced relationships in order to thrive.” The work illustrates Watt’s ability to weave together complex associations of history, culture, and identity into a singular visual language that is deeply personal to the artist.

Marie Watt (Seneca, born 1967), Companion Species (Repose). Solid crystal on western walnut, 2017. 8 1/4 × 22 3/4 × 11 5/16 in. (20.9 × 57.8 × 28.7 cm). Purchased with funds given by Dr. Loren Lipson, 2018.41. On view in Gallery 4.

Image Description: A clear, transparent glass sculpture of a female wolf reclining on her left side, head raised, on a thick base of walnut wood.