Native art on Olympic medals

Winter Olympics 2010 Medals Made From Recycled Electronics

By Amar ToorWinter Games officials have unveiled the design of the new medals in all their resplendent, curvaceous glory, and the chorus of "oohs" and "ahhs" has been heard 'round the world. Besides their uniquely undulating shape (said to reflect the Vancouver landscape), the ponderous prizes also have novel origins--crafted, so we're told, from melted circuit boards. Created by Canadian artists Corrine Hunt and Omer Abel, the gold, silver, and even Cindy Brady bronze treasures weigh over a pound each, are designed with laser-etching to ensure that no two are exactly alike, and are all composed of materials reclaimed from electronics.A video on making the medals:

Les médailles

On Facebook, the NMAI adds:Did you know that the medals featuring the orca for the 2010 Winter Olympics were designed by Corrine Hunt, a Canadian designer/artist of Komoyue and Tlingit heritage based in Vancouver, BC?Comment:  I didn't know the Olympics designed new medals for every set of Games. I thought the medals had a traditional, standard design.

For more on Natives in the Olympics, see Aboriginal Performers in Opening Ceremony and Native Participation in 2010 Olympics.