New exhibit explores legacy of Haida artist Bill Reid, alongside contemporary Indigenous art

A new exhibit is exploring the legacy of Haida artist Bill Reid's impact on Northwest Coast art, 25 years after his death.

Reid is often acknowledged as a force whose meticulous work helped establish Northwest Coast art as one of the world's most recognized creative works.

Among his most popular works is Spirit of Haida Gwaii, which welcomes visitors at the Vancouver International Airport.

Now, a selection of works from the permanent collection of Bill Reid Gallery in downtown Vancouver, together with pieces from new and emerging Indigenous artists, are being showcased at the gallery's Bright Futures exhibit until January 2024.

The exhibit title was inspired by a quote from Reid in 1967, according to assistant curator Aliya Boubard.

"He was talking about some of the old artworks that were in museums and collections, and he referred to them as 'objects of bright pride,'" Boubard said.

"From there, we spun it to talk about bright futures and more specifically focusing on contemporary Indigenous artists of the Northwest Coast today."

Reid grew up with his mother in Victoria. His father was of mixed German, Scottish and American heritage.

Although his mother's Haida family would often come to visit, Reid didn't recognize his own Haida identity until he visited what was then called the Queen Charlotte Islands for his grandfather's funeral. He was in his early 20s.

Reid had previously worked as an announcer and host for CBC, before studying and carving jewellery in the Haida style.

The Bright Futures exhibit also features the works of 14 artists, which reflect themes such as reconciliation and intergenerational healing.

"We have Bill Reid works paired throughout the exhibition, as the artists are reflecting and responding to those specific styles of works that he's created," Boubard said.

Artist Natasha Seymour, who is Tahitan, Tsimshian and Nisga'a, is showcasing beaded button blanket earrings. Button blankets are a traditional regalia typically worn in different types of ceremonies.

"For Natasha, she was mentioning how beadwork helped her heal through a lot of trauma that she was facing when she first started to get into beadwork. And that was something that was also similar in Bill's story," Boubard said, in a reference to how Reid was disconnected from his culture for decades and used art to draw him back into his traditional Haida roots.

Shoshannah Greene, a contemporary Haida artist from Skidegate, is showcasing Raven in the City, which she says represents her story of living in Vancouver.

"It's about the idea of being away from home," Greene said.

The painting shows a man looking at a graffiti wall. A raven mask and wings are painted over his head and back, symbolizing a raven disguising itself as a human.

"One thing I really appreciate about Vancouver is when you're in those lonely phases and feeling isolated, seeing Northwest Coast graffiti and just having it adorned … I think that's really cool," Greene said.