Mouse Woman drawing by Luke J. Parnell
The Beat
A monthly newsletter about the art of
First Nations on Canada’s West Coast
This is the twenty-ninth issue of The Beat, a free, independent newsletter that brings you up-to-date on the art, artists and events of the First Nations on Canada’s Pacific Coast.
We respectfully acknowledge the Coast Salish Peoples, on whose traditional territories we live and work, and all the First Nations of the Pacific coast.
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Vancouver seems to be all about the 2010 Olympics in February, either directly or indirectly through special funding. An Aboriginal Pavilion stands prominently in the plaza of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in downtown Vancouver, with displays and retail reflecting First Nations culture, and a varied program of performances. A new book O Siyam, with an introduction by Gerald McMaster, presents the many works commissioned for the Olympic and Paralympic Games from First Nations artists across Canada, a number of which have been mentioned in past issues of The Beat. During the Opening Ceremony, note that the costumes of the Olympic Team of the Netherlands were designed by Tahltan First Nation artist Alano Edzerza.
There are many art exhibitions in February in the Vancouver area. Here are some related to First Nations, followed by the relevant website. Some venues have longer opening hours, or different access, during the Olympics, so you may wish to check before you visit.
The Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria’s exhibition of Coast Salish art, S’abadeb continues until March 8 2010. The museum invites visitors to a discussion “New Perspectives on Coast Salish Art,” with Elder Tom Sampson, Dr. Martha Black, and weavers Chief Janice George and Buddy Joseph meeting with the public on February 11 at Thursday Night at the Museum Café. For more information about the exhibition and related events, see http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
Anishnabe Don McIntyre and Nisga’a Michael R. Dangeli’s work is exhibited at the Alma Mater Society Art Gallery at the Student Union Building of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, from February 14 2010. The show is called East Meets West: Throwing Power, Woodland and Northwest Art.
Frank Shebageget: Model Life, and Quilt of Belonging with Coast Salish weaving, at the Surrey Art Gallery, to April 4 2010. http://www.arts.surrey.ca
First Nations/Second Nature at the Audain Gallery at Simon Fraser University’s Woodward’s Campus, opening February 6 until March 20 2010. http://www.woodwards.ca
Continuum: Vision and Creativity on the Northwest Coast at the Bill Reid Gallery in Vancouver until March 28 2010. http://www.billreidgallery.ca
Artist Peter Morin is at Open Space in Victoria, Thursdays and Fridays throughout February and March 2010, for A Memory Talking Stick artist residency and collaborative workshop. The project seeks to create stories and ceremonies to connect Aboriginal experiences with the larger community’s identities. The project organizers can be contacted at 250 383 8833.
Bonny Graham-Krulicki’s Words to the Wyse is at the Chilliwack Museum until March 11 2010. The artist moves to preserve her Coast Salish language through art, with works created to communicate an appreciation of the language’s historical and spiritual significance. For more information, see http://www.chilliwack.museum.bc.ca
Laid Over to Cover: Photography and Weaving in the Salishan Landscape at Presentation House Gallery in North Vancouver until March 14 2010.http://www.presentationhousegall.com
At the Vancouver Art Gallery, Visions of British Columbia: A Landscape Manual, until April 18 2010.
http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca
Mask is at the Richmond Art Gallery, photographic portraits of artists by Haisla artist Arthur Renwick, until April 4 2010. http://www.richmondartgallery.org/renwick.php
Arthur Renwick is also exhibiting his work at the National Museum of the American Indian in New York. HIDE: Skin as Material and Metaphor is a two-part exhibition: Part I will open March 6 to August 1 2010, Part II will open September 4 to January 16 2011. More at:
http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=35556
An exhibition of drawings, etchings and other small works from 1985 to 2009 by Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun will be held March 19 to May 16 2010, at the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver. See
http://www.contemporaryartgallery.ca
Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas has a new music video Haida Manga Party Mix, based on the manga style drawings of his recent book Red!, created with First Nations cellist Cris Derksen. A sample is at http://myspace.com/crisderksen
More about Mike’s latest projects at http://www.mny.ca
An exhibition mentioned in several earlier issues of The Beat (October 2009 and January 2010) is of great importance, and not to be missed:
Backstory: Nuuchaanulth Ceremonial Curtains and the Work of Ki-ke-in at the Morris and Helen Belkin Gallery at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver runs until March 28 2010. The impressive exhibition of these Thliisapilthim, ceremonial backdrop curtains, shows a large number of powerful paintings representing the family history of the people whose traditional territory lies on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Some curtains are from the nineteenth century, others are newly created for recent events. Preliminary drawings, photographs of vanished works, family members and events connected to the ceremonial backdrops and other community–related matters, are included in the exhibition. The artist Ki-ke-in, Ron Hamilton painted many of the works, and was the dynamic force behind the exhibition. So huge are some of the curtains that one is accommodated in the UBC Chan Centre, another in a nearby campus library. An illustrated 32-page catalogue is available at the Belkin Gallery, and further publications will follow. There may never be another opportunity to view these works together.
The Costume Museum of Canada and the Urban Shaman gallery present Native/American Apparel, an exhibition bringing together artwork by aboriginal artists Lita Fontaine and K.C. Adams and pieces from the collection of the Costume Museum to look at the relationship of fashion, clothing, and textile to the representation of Indigenous identities. The exhibition runs in Winnipeg until April 4 2010. For more information see http://www.costumemuseum.com
Artist Luke Parnell is calling for submissions to Red Runners, an exhibition that will explore the accessibility of native identity through the re-imagination of ordinary shoes. Send a submission including an artist statement, 10 jpeg images and a resume to
Late in January 2010, the Museum of Anthropology at Vancouver’s University of British Columbia celebrated the opening of its renovation and expanded exhibition space. The museum seems transformed, and is now a much warmer, more inviting, more elegant and more informative place.
The former storage collection area is unrecognizable, and has become a beautiful place to view the gallery’s extensive holdings in a more ordered and accessible way.
The opening exhibition of the large new Audain Gallery at MOA is Border Zones: New Art Across Cultures, until September 12 2010.
A number of new art works were commissioned for the museum; these include Musqueam artist Susan Point’s Salish Footprint, a granite mosaic embedded in the concrete at the entrance to MOA.
MOA has somewhat altered its mission at this time, now proclaiming itself “A place of world arts + cultures”. See http://www.moa.ubc.ca
A Digital Heritage Symposium Connecting Cultural Content and Experience is at MOA February 4 and 5 2010. See MOA’s website details.
The Louis Riel Youth Symposium for youth ages 13+ is being held at various locations at the University of British Columbia on February 6 2010. The symposium is “an engaging and interactive exploration of Métis experience and performance inspired by the legacy of Louis Riel. Events are held in collaboration with the First Nations House of Learning, the Museum of Anthropology, and the Métis Nation BC.”
More at http://www.moa.ubc.ca/events/events_news.php?item=638
Work is progressing on a pole intended for the campus of Northwest Community College’s Prince Rupert. Tsimshian carvers Henry Green, Gerald Stewart and assistants are past the halfway mark on a pole commissioned from them by the college. NWCC President Stephanie Forsyth has long been a supporter of First Nations cultural projects.
The pole represents the crests of Sim' oogit Saxsaht, chief of the Gitwilgyots[people of the kelp],one of the nine allied tribes of the Tsimshian Nation whose traditional territory encompasses the Prince Rupert area. More information on Green’s work can be found at:
http://www.nationspaddling.com/
The Beat will report again as the work progresses.
In Ottawa, an important part of the history of the early contact between Canada’s First Nations and European business is displayed at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Profit and Ambition: The Canadian Fur Trade, 1779-1821 runs until September 12 2010. For more information, see http://www.civilization.ca
Pacific Editions Limited in Victoria, a print studio for many First Nations artists, offers a special opportunity “Become an Instant Collector”.
Bundles of 20 different original, signed and numbered art prints by well-known artists is available for a discount price of $220, until March 15 2010. See http://www.pacificeditions.ca
We yah hani First Nations Dance Festival will be held at the Museum of Anthropology from February 1 to Monday February 8 2010, co-hosted by the Dancers of Damelahamid. There is a line-up of dance groups from BC, the Yukon, and New Zealand. The festival will reach new communities and audiences in 2010 with performances at the Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver, the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre in Whistler, and the UBC’s MOA. The opening event is on Thursday February 4 at the Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver.
In Whistler BC, where many Olympic and Paralympic events will be held, the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre on Blackcomb Way is the centre of First Nations cultural events. Newly commissioned works by Squamish artist Aaron Nelson-Moody and Lil’wat Delmar Williams are in the SLCC Great Hall.
The handing of the Olympic flame from Squamish to Lil’wat First Nation torchbearers will happen on February 5 2010 at 5:30 pm in front of the Centre’s main entrance.
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre will be a busy place in February.
Admission is by donation from February 1 to March 21 (February 13, 19 and 22 closed for private events).
A Winter Farmers’ Market is held every Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm in Istken Hall.
Cultural performers and artists working will be presented daily.
For more information on events, visit
http://www.slcc.ca/whistler-2010/whistler-live
A more interesting way to travel between Vancouver and Whistler is offered by bus with Talking Totem Tours “Sea to Sky Aboriginal Cultural Journey”. First Nations guides, food and traditional stories will enrich your journey. Special options for groups are available.
For more information, or phone 604 989 2897, or see http://www.talkingtotemtours.com
The Vancouver Olympic Victory Ceremony at BC Place Stadium on February 14 2010 includes a live runway presentation of work by Haida fashion artist Dorothy Grant. Grant and two other First Nations designers will have work showcased at other points in the Vancouver Games. Grant’s elegant designs will be displayed at Vancouver House LiveCity in Yaletown. See http://www.dorothygrant.com for further details.
The ninth annual Talking Stick Festival showcases a diverse and talented community of local, national and international Aboriginal artists. A fusion of music, dance, theatre, multimedia, performance art, visual art and storytelling will be held from February 21 to 28 2010, daily at 7 pm. The Ab-Original Cabaret will enliven the Roundhouse in Vancouver’s Yaletown. For details of performances, and more about Full Circle, see http://www.fullcircleperformance.ca/
**A pair of tickets to the Ab-Original Cabaret’s 7 pm show on Monday February 22 is available FREE to the first three readers who email their request to: List@coastalartbeat.ca Include your name and mailing address in the message.**
Simon Fraser University in Vancouver will hold a symposium on April 23 and 24 2010 on “Unpacking the Indigenous Female Body”, and welcomes submissions from many disciplines. Deadline for Abstracts is February 12 2010. For more information, contact rwwp@sfu.ca
The Haida Heritage Centre in Skidegate, Haida Gwaii, is one of five tourism businesses in BC to receive the 'Authentic Aboriginal' title, a new designation awarded by the Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia.
Vancouver Community College has opened a new Aboriginal gathering space, a “supportive place that allows students to study, access computers and meet with Aboriginal Elders and staff – designed to help them reach their educational goals.”
Artist Ya ya Charles Heit has brought to our attention a website article with a good description of the role of the potlatch among the First Nations of the Pacific coast.
See http://www.firstnationsdrum.com/2009/march/potlach.html
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Comments, news and new subscribers to this free newsletter are welcomed. Please write to: editor@coastalartbeat.ca
Past issues are available at our website http://www.coastalartbeat.ca
Thank you to David Dumaresq, Henry Green, Michael Dangeli, Rikki Kooy, Martine Reid, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Dorothy Grant, and many others, for your assistance. The Beat is an independent, not-for-profit project written and published in Vancouver Canada by Ann Cameron. Copyright 2010 Ann Cameron.