Bill Reid Gallery exhibits retrospective of prominent Nuu-chah-nulth artist George Clutesi
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Tuesday, October 8, 2024


Bill Reid Gallery exhibits retrospective of prominent Nuu-chah-nulth artist George Clutesi
George Clutesi, Mask of Plenty, 1944. Courtesy of the Royal BC Museum.



VANCOUVER .- Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art presents the Vancouver premiere of the retrospective exhibition GEORGE CLUTESI: ḥašaḥʔap / ʔaapḥii / ʕc̓ik / ḥaaʔaksuqƛ / ʔiiḥmisʔap from January 20, 2024 – January 19, 2025. The exhibition is a contemplative exploration of the life and legacy of Clutesi, whose actions have left an indelible mark on the preservation and celebration of the Nuu-chah-nulth community’s cultural traditions and customs. Featuring an extensive collection of Clutesi’s artworks, the exhibition also displays archival photographs and news clippings of his achievements, a documentary film about his long-lasting impact, and a curated selection of artworks from contemporary Nuu-chah-nulth artists and scholars, inspired by Clutesi’s activism and scholarship.

“Like Bill Reid, who also lived and worked in the mid 20th century, George Clutesi was a huge inspiration for the next generation of Nuu-chah-nulth artists and scholars,” says Bill Reid Gallery curator Aliya Boubard. “While they had very different life experiences and approaches to their art forms, these artists helped raise awareness both inside and outside of their communities. George has been instrumental in not only educating others about his community’s cultural traditions, but preserving the sacred stories, dances, and masks that are practiced and celebrated today.”

The exhibition will showcase 45 artworks by Clutesi, mainly from public institutions and private lenders, which include original drawings, paintings, prints, and some reproductions. Clutesi’s work often depicts figures and themes central to Nuu-chah-nulth stories, such as whales, thunderbirds, dances, masks, and spiritual customs. Born in 1905, Clutesi created art from an early age, but didn’t begin exhibiting until the 1940s. A featured artist at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1944, West Coast artist Emily Carr was so impressed that she gifted her paint brushes, oils, and canvases to Clutesi in her will.

Also on display are archival clippings, audio recordings, and photographs, highlighting Clutesi’s expanding presence in the B.C. community and across Canada. He was commissioned to create a large mural for Expo 67, anchoring Indigenous voices for international audiences. In addition to his art, Clutesi became known for his writing, when the artist began contributing articles to the Indigenous newspaper Native Voice, while recovering from a back injury. He also shared Nuu-chah-nulth stories on CBC radio, and is considered to be one of the first Indigenous writers and scholars in British Columbia to write about their own oral traditions and customs. He later published books, including Potlatch and Son of Raven, Son of Deer.

But perhaps Clutesi’s most impactful role was educator and human rights advocate. A deeply moving documentary filmed/edited by Tsawout filmmaker and actor Dano Underwood recounts childhood memories of seven Alberni Indian Residential School (AIRS) survivors, who were cared for and counselled by Clutesi while he was working as a janitor, and later as an educator, at AIRS. Himself a residential school survivor, he often shared cultural stories, songs, and dances with his students to instill a sense of self-pride, offering hope to children who had been forcibly separated from their families and homes.

The exhibition further honours Clutesi’s legacy through the striking display of artworks from contemporary artists Hjalmer Wenstob (Tla-o-quiaht), Timmy Masso (Tla-o-quiaht), Marika Swan (Tla-o-quiaht), and Petrina Dezall (Mowachaht/Muchalaht), inspired by themes and aspects of Clutesi’s life, such as family relationships, healing through ceremony, connection to earth and traditional medicines. Contemporary scholars Dr. Dawn Smith (Ehattesaht) and Dr. Tommy Happynook (Huu-ay-aht) have created pieces inspired by Clutesi’s writing – including cedar bark regalia, influenced by the teachings in Potlatch and a set of hanging drums, inspired by Son of Raven, Son of Deer, inscribed with Clutesi and Happynook’s writings, bringing life to a silent song.

The name of the exhibition, written in the Tseshaht language, honours Clutesi’s many celebrated traits: ḥašaḥʔap (keep, protective) / ʔaapḥii (generous) / ʕac̓ik (talented) / ḥaaʔaksuqƛ (strong willed) / ʔiiḥmisʔap (treasure).

GEORGE CLUTESI: ḥašaḥʔap / ʔaapḥii / ʕac̓ik / ḥaaʔaksuqƛ / ʔiiḥmisʔap premiered at the Alberni Valley Museum in April 2023, and was collaboratively produced by the Visual Stories Lab Curatorial Collective, which was led by Andrea Naomi Walsh, Jennifer Claire Robinson, India Rael Young, and Raey Lee Costain from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Victoria, in partnership with Alberni Valley Museum, the Royal BC Museum, the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art, the family of George Clutesi, Tseshaht speakers, and Nuu-chah-nulth cultural advisors. Following a year-long run at the Bill Reid Gallery, the exhibition will open at Legacy Gallery – the downtown Victoria gallery of the University of Victoria in Spring 2025.










Today's News

January 20, 2024

Brazilian police make arrest in killing of New York art dealer

Beautiful T206 cards, 'Stunning' find of sealed wax, signed 1950s legends lead off Heritage's sports event

V&A to display collection of rare and unique Lucian Freud etchings

Rolf Sachs unveils new solo exhibition at Stalla Madulain, conceived as multisensorial poetic journey

Augmented reality try-on experience in celebration of fashioning San Francisco 'A Century of Style'

As part of CONDO London 2024, Kate MacGarry is hosting 'Bureau'

Joel Sternfeld: Walking the High Line, text by Adam Gopnik and John Stilgoe, out now

Four decades of African American printmaking focus of new HoMA exhibition 'Forward Together'

Schoelkopf Gallery announces 'Max Weber: Art and Life Are Not Apart' now opening

Exhibition at Claire Oliver Gallery sheds light on the need for the fluidity of history

Need a bird cage shaped like the U.S. Capitol? Try the Winter Show

Photo London announces Valérie Belin as Master of Photography 2024 and other highlights

At 70, composer Georg Friedrich Haas encourages self-discovery

Bill Reid Gallery exhibits retrospective of prominent Nuu-chah-nulth artist George Clutesi

Peter Crombie, a menacing presence on 'Seinfeld,' dies at 71

She wrote a bestseller on women's sex lives. Then her own fell apart.

'Gutenberg!': A guide to the inventor behind the Broadway musical

'Happy Days' got us unstuck in time

The man in the sequined tuxedo who built a dance community

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Ava DuVernay on the emotional journey of 'Origin'

Last week to see Jesse Small exhibition 'Distant Signals' at Nancy Hoffman Gallery

Belgian artist Sophie Kuijken opens exhibition at Galerie Nathalie Obadia

How BIG Wall Décor Is Elevating The Interior Design Space By Providing Pieces On Fabric Instead Of Canvas

Dazzle Me Slot Extended Review 2024

Unveiling the Excitement: Exploring the Thrills of Joker123 Gaming

The Ultimate Guide to Finding Reliable Local Movers in Tucson, AZ

How to Make Your Natural Makeup Last All Day

What is the Best Company for Garage Door Repair?

Are Medical Billing And Coding Services Worth It?

How To Get Someone Into Rehab?

How Important is it to Clean the Air Ducts in Hospitals?

Exploring Different Types of Dental Implants and Their Uses

Designing a Sky-High Oasis: Tips for Creating Stunning Roof Decks

The Evolution and Importance of the Receptionist Desk in Modern Workspaces




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez
Writer: Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful