IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT: REFLECTING ON NORTHWEST COAST ART

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Kaayd hllngaay skaayxan (spruce-root basket), with Wasgo (Sea Wolf) imagery, c. 1890 – 1920. Woven by Skidegate Haida artist, and painted by Neeslant, John Cross (1867 – 1939)

Photo: MOA / Tyler Hagan.

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xiigaa xahl k’iidayaa (carved silver bracelet), with Raven-with-a-Broken-Beak imagery, c.1890 Da.a xiigang, Charles Edenshaw (c. 1839 – 1920)

Haida silver, Promised Gift, Private Collection, Montreal. Photo: MOA / Tyler Hagan.

Despite sitting still in a glass case before you, some artworks never stop moving. They contain histories. They challenge us. They are more than art. 

In a Different Light presents more than 110 historical Indigenous artworks and marks the return of many important works to British Columbia. These objects are amazing artistic achievements. Yet they also transcend the idea of ‘art’ or ‘artifact’. 

Through the voices of contemporary First Nations artists and community members, this exhibition reflects on the roles historical artworks have today. Featuring immersive storytelling and innovative design, it explores what we can learn from these works and how they relate to Indigenous peoples’ relationships to their lands. 

With the increasing impacts of colonization in the 19th century, many Northwest Coast objects were removed from their communities. As they circulated through museums and private collections, their histories were often lost. 

Indigenous community members are now reconnecting with these objects and rebuilding their past. Through their eyes, you will come to see these artworks in a different light — as teachers, belongings, even legal documents. 

Ultimately, this inaugural exhibition of the Gallery of Northwest Coast Masterworks highlights the creativity and inventiveness of Northwest Coast artists and how they understood the world they lived in. And critically, it shows us the immense body of knowledge that endures today.

In numbers alone, MOA’s new Gallery of Northwest Coast Masterworks is groundbreaking: more than 110 historical Indigenous objects will be displayed in a $3.5-million space, which features more than 30 Indigenous voices in video, audio and text, and one custom microchip designed to read Point Grey weather patterns.

The inaugural exhibition In a Different Light: Reflecting on Northwest Coast Art opened June 22 and runs through spring 2019 featuring a suite of innovative designs and cutting-edge technology. The title reflects not only the philosophical approach of curators Karen Duffek, Jordan Wilson and Bill McLennan, but also the literal impact of light in exhibition designer Skooker Broome’s careful planning.

The 210-square-metre gallery is the most compact of MOA’s indoor spaces, but it holds a diversity of media. Five film projections, six speakers and two audio-transmitting chairs will complement the array of masterworks on display. James Hart, Marianne Nicolson, Debra Sparrow and the late Beau Dick are just some of the many who have lent their expertise to the exhibition.

Source: Museum of Anthropology