Photo by Philip Hersee Photography
To January 8
Don’t miss the boat on seeing this dramatic exhibition at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art. Photographs by Phil Hersee (“Lootaas in Paris,” pictured) and Robert Semeniuk celebrate the historical role and intricate craftsmanship of Northwest Coast canoes.—Kristina Urquhart
Mask by Reg Davidson courtesy Coastal Peoples Fine Art Gallery
To find the perfect BC souvenir, visit Aboriginal art galleries. Masks, jewellery and prints by Haida master Bill Reid are at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art. Other gorgeous pieces (think carvings and totem poles) are readily available; try Coastal Peoples Fine Art Gallery, Douglas Reynolds Gallery, Eagle Spirit Gallery, Hill’s Native Art, Lattimer Gallery and Spirit Wrestler Gallery. Inuit Gallery of Vancouver and Marion Scott Gallery offer a wide selection of Inuit art, including drawings and stone sculpture.—Kristina Urquhart
Arbutus Tree by Emily Carr. Photo courtesy Heffel Fine Art Auction House
The desire to inspire has moulded Canadian art into something unique and synonymous with life here in the north. The iconic paintings of Emily Carr brought to life the diverse landscape intermixed with Native culture (pictured). Master carver Bill Reid showed us his passion for Haida art with intricate totem poles, sculptures and jewellery. Arthur Erickson pushed architectural design into the future with his contemporary creations, including the Museum of Anthropology at UBC. Photographers Fred Herzog and Jeff Wall continue to immortalize life in Vancouver with their powerful photographs. Visual artist and novelist Douglas Coupland is always changing the face of pop culture, and painter Gordon Smith has received the Order of Canada. There must be something in the water here.—Jennifer Patterson
Contemporary box by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
Prolific Haida artist Bill Reid may be a tough act to follow, with more than 1,500 pieces in his repetoire, but the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art salutes the work of contemporary First Nations artists in Continuum: Vision and Creativity on the Northwest Coast (to Jan. 31). Art with a decidedly modern spin still respects Reid’s groundbreaking techniques, including a box (pictured) by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas that echoes Reid’s well-known “Master of the Black Field” bentwood box.—Kristina Urquhart
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Stay, Dine, Do
