Rico Worl
Rico Lanáat’ Worl is a Tlingit + Athabascan social designer and artist with training in anthropology.
His work started in developing the arts department at Sealaska Heritage Institute, implementing programs to empower the indigenous artists of Southeast Alaska. The programs focused on developing fundamental skills and access to resources.
Through his current ongoing project, Trickster Company, He carries forward the goals of empowering indigenous artists. Through this brand he works to:
- Uphold and strengthen Indigenous resilience He hopes that introducing traditional art through modern products, creates greater accessibility for Indigenous people to represent who they are in their day to day lives with pride.
- Celebrate cross cultural connection The products Worl curates and produces are created to be accessible to non-Native or non-Tlingit people as well, so that everyone has an opportunity to celebrate the art, to appreciate the art, without appropriating the art.
- Redirect the tourist market The tourist industry currently profits millions of dollars off knock off native artwork. Worl is opposed to non-Native artists profiting off Native knowledge and culture.
- Represent modern Indigenous people today Worl strives for his work to represent modern lifestyle driven with foundations in traditional roots. He lives by the theme that "it is not me who is creating this work, it is my ancestors creating this work."
These goals are also foundational in his work outside of the brand. His crafts range from product design, digital design, jewelry making, printmaking, public art, and most recently he is working to develop his skills in sculpture and computer aided 3d design.
