AYA Optical has released a new artist collaboration with Lakota multimedia artist Jim Yellowhawk.
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Why we love it: AYA Optical has released a new collaboration with Lakota multimedia artist Jim Yellowhawk.
The Vancouver eyewear brand tapped Yellowhawk to create a collection of eyewear featuring Yellowhawk’s ledger art, a narrative art form rooted in traditions of Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains.
“Traditional spirituality is woven into my daily life, work, practices and way of being. It keeps me in balance and guides my creative processes. The horse, buffalo, elk, geese and eagle nations are often represented in my art, in honour of the four winds,” the artist said in a news release. “While my art comprises diverse media forms, my current passion is for ledger art, a traditional way of recording history for the native peoples in America.
“My techniques vary according to the feel of each piece. I like to experiment and challenge myself. I would like to leave my mark as an artist in a way that serves all people, and I very much hope to provide a strong and positive role model for native youth.”
The collaboration collection includes three eyewear designs, each made from premium acetate and featuring Yellowhawk’s artwork.
Inspired by buffalo horn material and boasting the artist’s Buffalo Nation art, the Ledger frame is available in two colours. Billed as a unisex style, the Cetangi features a rounded, “retro” shape. The Lakota frame highlights the artist’s warrior design, which is said to pay homage to the “courage, strength and leadership of Lakota warriors.”
For sunglass fans, the Lakota is also available in a polarized option.
The price: 185 to $195.