Indigenous blankets inspire weave-like facade of new Vancouver Art Gallery – Vancouver Sun

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The stunning Coast Salish weaving design for the facade of the new Vancouver Art Gallery wasn’t the idea of a single person.

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It emerged from conversations between a group of Indigenous weavers and the lead architect for the project over several months.

The copper-coloured metallic weave for the building, announced early in November, not only honours the Indigenous people of Metro Vancouver, it also helped persuade philanthropist Michael Audain to donate $100 million for the new building on West Georgia.

The redesign process started when Anthony Kiendl , the new CEO and director of the Vancouver Art Gallery, organized his first official meeting in August 2020 with Musqueam weaver and artist Debra Sparrow and her brother, Chief Wayne Sparrow.

Debra Sparrow described Kiendl as someone who understands “that art is more than visual — it represents culture and history.

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“We sat in the cultural centre while (Kiendl) told us his vision of the gallery. He wanted to honour the land and the people.”

After the first meeting with Kiendl that so inspired Sparrow, it took about a year for the next stage to begin. Kiendl phoned Sparrow and asked if she would be willing to be part of local panel of Indigenous artist consultants for the new building representing the Musqueam , Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh . The others were Skwetsimeltxw Willard “Buddy” Joseph, Chepximiya Siyam’ Janice George, and Angela George.

Kiendl said the idea was to meet regularly on Zoom with Simon Demuse from Herzog & de Meuron , the lead architects on the VAG’s new building.

Sparrow said the new design emerged gradually. It developed out of conversations about the history of Indigenous people and the importance of blankets, not just to the Coast Salish but to all peoples of the world.

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In particular, the discussions focused on the twill weaving pattern which has been described as “the weft crossing the warp, over two and under two.” The warp is the threads held in tension into which the threads or weft are inserted over and under.

Weaving is especially important to Sparrow and the other weavers on the panel because of their role in its revival after disappearing for 85 years among the Coast Salish after contact with European settlers.

“The four of us talked about that as weavers. It is our responsibility to bring it back to the world in a way that embraces not only ourselves but other people, other cultures.”

Sparrow said putting a weaving pattern on the facade of the VAG takes weaving out of its “comfort zone” of blankets worn by people, and applies it in a new context on the exterior of a prominent building for everyone to see.

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At one point during the online meetings, Sparrow said, someone mentioned copper as a colour that represents the Northwest Coast.

Sparrow said while it was historically used by the Indigenous nations further to the north such as the Haida, Coast Salish artists have also used it as a kind of “world colour” in contemporary applications.

The VAG’s proposed woven metal facade has been described as a copper skin with a veil-like quality — it will shimmer and change its appearance depending on the point of view of the observer, the time of day, and the light. As well, people inside the building in spaces such as library, for example, will be able to look out through the metal weave over windows and see the city through a veil.

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Sparrow said she believes there is going to be many more examples of Coast Salish designs around the region as local Indigenous people weave “our way through the city” in murals and plazas and facades.

“As First Nations people, we have a vision and duty to wrap the city of Vancouver in our history and work,” she said at the news conference announcing the redesign.

“We want to weave all our cultures together in this building and wrap it like we do in a blanket.”

If fundraising continues as planned, the Vancouver Art Gallery hopes to start construction in November 2022. The redesigned building has been expanded by 30,000 sq. ft. to 330,000 sq. ft. and now includes an early education centre, accommodation for visiting artists, and a community space for Indigenous programs and celebrations.

Public and private pledges and donations for the new building have reached $240 million for the $400-million project. The VAG hopes to raise another $80 million from private donations and $80 million from government and community sources.

kevingriffin@postmedia.com

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