Our Aboriginal Art
Within the First Nations of British Columbia, aboriginal art work is interrelated with religious and social ceremonies, family relations, history, and aboriginal culture. Art is not inanimate and does not hang lifeless on the wall. It signifies rank and clan, animates stories of creation, retells legends and reminds us of our lineage. We dance with our masks, proudly wear our ceremonial clothing, and carve totems in celebration of great occasions or in commemoration of a relative whose deeds merit honoring.
In the past, our baskets carried food, our tools and weapons were carved or beaded, each pattern telling a story. Today, our elders still teach us the traditional arts of carving, weaving, beading, and quill work. Our aboriginal art work tells the story of our people, and comes alive in ceremony.
To those unfamiliar with native Canadian art of the northwest coast, there is a tendency to classify the two dimensional work into one artistic style. While modern indigenous artists may borrow from the styles of neighboring tribal groups or interpret the traditional style of their own, there are distinct differences between many of the coastal cultural groups.
Further inland, where winters were longer and food more scarce, many of the peoples moved with the food sources and seasons. This meant that aboriginal art was more moveable, most often taking expression in clothing, tools, and modes of transportation. Among the interior nations, beading, basket weaving, and dancing are among the best known forms of expression. Paints and dyes are made from colored clays and plants; fur, feathers, quills and bones come from hunting and trapping. Clothing, and the intricate work upon it, is often one of the highest aboriginal art forms, as are the many dances performed at special ceremonies.
Throughout British Columbia you can visit art galleries and studios and discover the different carving and painting styles of our people, interpreted through traditional and modern artists. From button blankets, basketry, carvings, coppers and buckskin to beaded and feathered regalia, you will see the span of materials and media that are used by artists to express their aboriginal culture.
Renaissance of Indigenous Art
Illustrations of Bill Reid’s sculptures adorning the new Canadian $20 bill are much more than acknowledgement of a great artist or a reflection of an indigenous culture. The choice is a celebration of the revival of the coastal First Nations art form and culture, once low on the arts radar, now thriving and internationally recognized.
In an attempt to assimilate the aboriginal people in the 19th century, European colonization all but eradicated native Canadian art, culture, language and traditions. Customs and celebrations such as the potlatch were forbidden and artifacts, masks and tools were relegated to museums, seen more in anthropological, rather than artistic, terms. Along the way, the conventions of coastal indigenous art were in danger of being lost.
Reid’s legacy was not only the revival of native artistic traditions or the recognition of his talent at an international level. He inspired curiosity about art and culture in both non-native and native communities. His studio was a gathering place for craftsmen and artisans to learn and apprentice. He formed relationships with other aspiring Haida artists and supervised apprenticeships in graphic and sculptural forms. Robert Davidson, James Hart, Don Yeomans and Guuyaaw were among the many apprentices who went on to have successful careers.
A journalist, Reid brought attention to the culture by producing TV documentaries, becoming an advocate for native rights and bringing respect and recognition to the achievements of his ancestors. Through his book illustrations, legends and myths became accessible to readers and bridged cultural gaps. But Reid’s work, too, was not just about revival. It was infused with modern ideas that pushed boundaries and inspired new kinds of First Nations art encompassed now in fashion, furnishings, architecture and personal adornment.
Along the northwest coast of British Columbia others, such as Kwakwaka’wakw artist Mungo Martin, were a force for revival of their own unique tribal art forms and styles. Like Reid, Martin also exceeded previous artists and brought about a renaissance among his own people.
The renaissance of First Nations art and culture, brought about by Reid and Martin and those who followed, has created understanding and pride in indigenous people throughout the province and across Canada. The work of the best native Canadian artists can now be seen in galleries and public spaces throughout North America and Europe.
There are many talented artists amongst the First Nations in British Columbia. Their work can be viewed or purchased in numerous art galleries throughout the province, including Khot-La-Cha Art Gallery & Gift Shop in North Vancouver, Xá:ytem Longhouse Interpretive Centre, Quw’utsun’ Cultural Centre & Conference Centre in Duncan and the Umista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay.
