< Back

National Museum of the American Indian: Raven Steals the Sun

In 2003, Preston was commissioned the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, to create a version of his popular Raven Steals the Sun for the museum.

NMAI's Raven is different from most of the ravens Preston makes, as it is much larger, mounted on the wall, and features fiber optic lighting.

From the Smithsonian Institution:

Raven Steals the Sun is created by Tlingit artist Preston Singletary, the sculpture represents the tribe’s story about the origins of the celestial bodies, in which the trickster animal captures the sun, moon and stars from a greedy chief and releases them into the world. This account emphasizes the importance of oral history among Native American tribes like the Tlingit.

Raven Steals the Sun, 2003
Blown and sand carved glass
79.5 x 25.4 cm