Please join us for an online screening of three films: Cedar Tree of Life, Faces in the Land with Dempsey Bob, and Haida Modern, in conjunction with our current exhibition Em̓út | Being Home.

Thursday, April 15, 7pm - 9pm

Free to attend. Pease register in advance at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/cedar-tree-of-life-faces-in-the-land-with-dempsey-bob-haida-modern-tickets-149063632337

Cedar Tree of Life (2018) | 11 mins

Directed by Odessa Shuquaya

This short and expressionist documentary explores the relationship between the cedar tree and three Indigenous women who work with it, weave with it and live with it. Three Salish women hold knowledge of cedar, passed down from their grandmothers and mothers. They commune with this sacred tree as they practice and share their culture and art in both traditional and contemporary contexts. To them, cedar is a life-giver and a transformer. “Cedar: Tree of Life” reveals how each woman uses cedar and how cedar expresses itself through them. From garments to homes to a burial material for those who have passed on, cedar was and is inextricably linked to all aspects of life.

Faces in the Land with Dempsey Bob (2008) | 22 mins

Landscape as Muse S4 E443

Directed by Ian Toews

Tahltan-Tlingit artist Dempsey Bob has devoted a lifetime to the craft of woodcarving. His work arises from a Northwest Coast carving tradition that stretches back for centuries. A contemporary master, Dempsey has advanced this form – creating sculptural works that expand on traditional designs. In the BC rainforest near the Skeena River, Dempsey Bob creates masks for our camera. For him the great trees, giant mountains, and mighty rivers are his inspiration. We are, as he puts it, "in sculpture country."

Haida Modern (2019) | 85 mins

Directed by Charles Wilkinson

In the 50 years since he carved his first totem pole, Robert Davidson has come to be regarded as one of the world’s foremost modern artists. Charles Wilkinson (Haida Gwaii: On the Edge of the World) brings his trademark inquisitiveness and craftsmanship to this revealing portrait of an unassuming living legend. Weaving together engaging interviews with the artist, his offspring, and a host of admirers, Haida Modern extols the sweeping impact of both Davidson’s artwork and the legions it’s inspired.

The exhibition Em̓út | Being Home features work by Northwest Coast Indigenous artists, including Primrose Adams, Sonny Assu, Dempsey Bob, David A. Boxley, Corey Bulpitt, Brenda Crabtree, Ben Davidson, Robert Davidson, Aggie Davis, Shawn Hunt, Lena Jumbo, Isabel Rorick, Evelyn Vanderhoop, Xwalacktun. Curated by Ray Hartley and Sheila Hall. The exhibition runs until May 1st, 2021.