Bill Reid, Bull Wire Sculpture, 1986. SFU Bill Reid Collection. Gift of Dr. Martine Reid. Photo by Kenji Nagai.
By Tayvie Van Eeuwen
@tayvieee
“I think the Northwest Coast style of art is an absolutely unique product, one of the crowning achievements of the whole human experience. I just don’t want the whole thing swept under the carpet without someone paying attention to it.” –Bill Reid
Many people associate the works of Bill Reid with the recognizable style of Northwest Coast Indigenous art. The Haida goldsmith, carver, sculptor, writer, broadcaster, mentor, and community activist has created a monumental legacy—one that is being honoured in To Speak With a Golden Voice, the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art’s latest exhibit.
The exhibit, which opens on July 16, is a celebration of Reid’s centennial birthday (1920-1998). Guest curated by Gwaai Edenshaw—widely believed to be Reid’s last apprentice—the show will include seldom seen treasures by Reid, as well as works by artists Robert Davidson and Beau Dick. Lastly, two new pieces will be featured by singer-songwriter Kinnie Starr and contemporary artist Cori Savard.
“Just about every Northwest Coast artist working today has a connection or link to Reid,” praised Edenshaw in the exhibit’s press release.
As featured artist Savard explains, she is a direct result of Reid’s historic work.
“[When I was] a child, seeing [Reid’s artwork] ‘Spirit of Haida Gwaii’, and listening to my mother tell the story made me curious about my culture. Knowing that the person who created it came from the same place, the same people as me, gave me a sense of pride.”
Savard is a member of the Haida nation, however, she did not grow up in her home community. Throughout her youth she would visit the Canadian Museum of History on the east coast, where some of Reid’s artworks were featured.
After returning to her birthplace as a teenager, Savard has since been able to put her knowledge into practice—namely through carving, painting, dance group performances, potlatches, and learning her language.
“Being disconnected from my home community didn’t mean I was disconnected from my Indigenous identity,” describes Savard. “My mother, in true matrilineal fashion, taught us everything she knew. She truly nurtured our Haida roots by exposing us to as much of our culture as was possible given our geographical location at the time.”
Now, Savard is bringing Reid’s influence full circle—featuring her own formline painting at his centennial celebration. Her featured piece in To Speak With a Golden Voice depicts the Dogfish crest, a sub crest of her clan, as well as a representation of her mother, brother and self.
In addition, Savard speaks to Reid’s impact on the dismantling of gender barriers and binaries. She points to the late Sharon Hitchcock as an example, explaining that Hitchcock’s design adorn Reid’s canoe, Lootaas, and remains one of the most iconic examples of modern Haida art.
As a female carver, Savard is a modern day model of Reid’s inclusive teachings: when she began apprenticing, there were only a small number of women carving. Today, that number continues to grow as women learn to carve everyday from across the Northwest Coast.
Savard now advocates for other Indigenous folks, especially women, to start their artistic journeys. Her advice?
“Take the time to study the work of the old masters. There are endless lessons on form and function in the works of our ancestors.”
“To Speak With a Golden Voice” opens at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art on July 16. All sanitation and physical distancing measures will apply. Learn more about this upcoming exhibit and buy tickets here.
Tayvie is a Métis/Anihšināpē and Irish/Scottish student and writer. Her circle is small, but her joy is large. She splits her time between over-thinking and visiting Disneyland. Read her articles to take a peek inside the world of mental illness and happy news, because it’s all about balance, right?
