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Art
B.C. artist Carey Newman-Hayalthkin’geme’s Witness Blanket on display in West Vancouver
Carey Newman-Hayalthkin?geme’s work Witness Blanket is comprised of items collected from residential schools, survivors, churches, governments and other Canadian cultural sites.
The West Vancouver Memorial Library will be home to Victoria artist Carey Newman-Hayalthkin’geme‘s monumental and important art piece Witness Blanket for a limited time.
On display for six weeks, beginning Jan. 26, the woven-blanket-inspired piece is made up of items collected from residential schools, survivors, churches, governments and other cultural sites across Canada. Measuring 40 feet long, the installation is immense in size and subject matter.
“Blankets are a universal symbol of comfort or care,” said Newman, who is a filmmaker as well as an instructor and the Impact Chair for Indigenous Art Practices at the University of Victoria. “Because this is about truth and reconciliation, I wanted it to be made into an image that people would recognize as comfort, as care.
“In Coast Salish culture we have ceremonies which we call blanketing people, and we do that to uplift or honour them. And we do that if they are going through difficult times. We’ll do that to protect them, so there’s lots of different reasons for blankets,” added Newman, who is Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw.
The installation, consisting of 13, eight-foot-tall connected wood panels, is a photographic replica of the original Witness Blanket that was finished in spring 2014 and has a permanent home in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg.
“The wear-and-tear of being on the road definitely started to take its toll,” said Newman about the decision to put the original piece in the museum.
Taren Urquhart, the West Vancouver Memorial Library’s arts and special events programmer, hopes people visit the Witness Blanket with a “completely open mind,” and understand that there is a lot to learn from the powerful piece.
Libraries are also accessible to all, something that is very important to Newman.
“It has been the ethos of this whole thing. Accessibility has been important all along,” said Newman. “The way we have approached this is, if reconciliation is for everyone, then it has to be something everybody can get to, can see. It can’t be presented in a way that is intimidating or exclusionary. So, libraries are wonderful places for that.”
The pieces on the original blanket, now represented in the high-resolution photos on the replica, all come from people with personal connections to the residential school system. Over a handful of years, Newman and a team followed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission around the country to its events.
“We went from place to place to place introducing the idea to people. Talking about this vision to make a blanket from objects, and slowly built relationships and trust throughout those travels and started gathering objects and gathering stories. And recording where they came from,” said Newman, whose father was a survivor of the residential school system.
In the end, 889 items including braids of hair, a Métis sash, a weather-beaten shoe, the door to the infirmary of St. Michael’s Residential School in Alert Bay, and photographs of young girls in front of St. Paul’s School in North Vancouver, were collected and put together to make the Witness Blanket.
“It invites the viewer in to really ask what these pieces are,” said Urquhart.
Now a decade out in the world, Newman is still “blown away,” by the effect the Witness Blanket has had and continues to have. It’s in a national museum and in school curriculums. There are books, a film and an upcoming virtual project.
“People sometimes ask me what I expected. And I say, well, we surpassed that, like, almost immediately,” said Newman. “Artists don’t ever expect that level of response to their work. At least I certainly don’t. I am continually humbled by how it makes it ways through the world and how people respond to it.”
Witness Blanket will be on display at the library until March 10. It’s a free exhibit open during regular library hours.
Newman will speak at the library on Feb. 8 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. More related events, including talks and musical performances, are scheduled and can be found at westvanlibrary.ca.
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The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”
On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”
The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.
Blaze in the West Wing
The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.
About Somerset House
Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.
Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.
Sudbury’s annual art and music festival is marking a significant milestone this year, celebrating its long-standing impact on the local cultural scene. The festival, which has grown from a small community event to a major celebration of creativity, brings together artists, musicians, and visitors from across the region for a weekend of vibrant performances and exhibitions.
The event features a diverse range of activities, from live music performances to art installations, workshops, and interactive exhibits that highlight both emerging and established talent. This year’s milestone celebration will also honor the festival’s history by showcasing some of the artists and performers who have contributed to its success over the years.
Organizers are excited to see how the festival has evolved, becoming a cornerstone of Sudbury’s cultural landscape. “This festival is a celebration of creativity, community, and the incredible talent we have here in Sudbury,” said one of the event’s coordinators. “It’s amazing to see how it has grown and the impact it continues to have on the arts community.”
With this year’s milestone celebration, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a full lineup of exciting events, workshops, and performances that will inspire and engage attendees of all ages.
The festival’s milestone is not just a reflection of its past success but a celebration of the continued vibrancy of Sudbury’s arts scene.
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