Glass artist Kana Tanaka’s installation on display at Oregon Tech

Glass artist Kana Tanaka’s suspended c’waam, koptu, and salmon display in Boivin Hall was completed at the end of July at the Oregon Institute of Technology.Artist Kana Tanaka’s OIT and Art in Public Places | Oregon Arts Commission selected artist Kana Tanaka to create an art commission at OIT’s newly renovated Boivin Hall. Kana’s project will represent our fish relatives, koptu, c’waam, and chiyaals; she visited our tribe this past winter and met with Ambodat and Public Relations departments, the AGM, and previous Chair. She also has publicly presented her project to the tribal council.

In the project Shoal of Returning Hope Tanaka said,  “I aim to visually represent the hope the Klamath Basin community has held for many years. The installation consists of shining salmon-like glass pieces suspended in midair within Boivin Hall, anticipating the ecological recovery of the ​Klamath River after the removal of four dams in 2024 on the Oregon-California border, in the country’s largest-ever dam removal project.”

Tanaka explained that she was Inspired by Coho and Chinook salmon, which change their body color during their journey upstream. “I use dichroic glass to create a spectrum of colors, symbolizing the transformative journey of the salmon and the resilience of the river. Additionally, the sacred and endangered local fish of the Klamath Tribes, c’waam, and koptu, are represented in the installation, reflecting the cultural significance and hope for their preservation,” she said.

The installation layout is inspired by the Klamath Basin, the Pacific Ocean, and the broader region. It guides the visual narrative of the fish swimming from the lower (southwest) to the higher (northeast) points. The central gray beam symbolizes a dam that salmon must overcome, echoing the community’s hope for the river’s future.