We See Monsters

The spirits of storied monsters from the Northwest Coast come to life. 

“We SEE Monsters” is a short animation that begins with a skipper and a fisherman out at sea. One is focused on the moon, and the other remains intent on the water. Then, we abruptly leave this world and dive deep into the realms below, where monsters are the conductors of ceremony. Hanuse Corlett has been exploring the stories from his territories that feature monsters. Throughout these stories, the monsters are not static characters that reflect only good or evil; they project dynamic qualities and balance. Their narratives often meander and sometimes end abruptly or spill over into another story. Movement is also an important aspect of these stories, as the characters are often travelling, journeying and dancing. As Hanuse Corlett explains, movement is expressed in our formline designs. Our shapes depict bodies in motion. In our dances, we embody and enact the spirit of these beings. “We SEE Monsters” features illustrations by Bracken Hanuse Corlett and Dean Hunt. The sound was created by Hunt in part by using field recordings from his home territory. Hunt comes from the Heiltsuk Nation and Hanuse Corlett comes from the Wukinuxv and Klahoose Nations. They have been working as an audio-visual duo since 2011, currently as the See Monsters and previously as part of Skookum Sound System. Hanuse Corlett also trained in the aspects of Northwest Coast Art, design and carving with Hunt, his brother Shawn Hunt and father Bradley Hunt. These illustrations were digitized by Hanuse Corlett, and then animated by Keith Morgan and Amanda Strong from Spotted Fawn Productions. Additional sound design and foley were created by Troy Slocum. This animation was made with the support of BC Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts.