The Bill Reid Gallery is the second museum I've visited in Vancouver, after the Museum of Anthropology (MOA), considered as the Vancouver's best museum. In the MOA, we find in fact several cultures, Asian artifacts for instance, but the exhibit of First Nations art is the principal attraction. The totem poles, the traditional houses outside and Bill Reid's sculpture Raven and the first Men worth the visit.
This Bill Reid Gallery has been the opportunity to go into detail, with commentaries from our teacher Nathan. The Gallery is relatively small, but it is enough for keeping the interest of one audience.
To be honest, before discovering First Nations art, I expected older artifacts, expressing and showing a long history. Instead of that, we find works dating from the 20th century. Quite recent.
Nevertheless, I finally appreciate the display and the variety of the work from Bill Reid: jewelry, sculpture or painting. We were talking about beauty in the precedent post, and actually I must say I appreciate and find beautiful the craftsmanship and the skilled art showing in this gallery.
I think we see also that his work is recent with some strange components: a pair of buttocks in the Raven and The First Men, or some fights on the Black canoe (with a creature licking the feet of another one). I think he had fun while working on spiritual subjects.
It was quite interesting, as usual I think with a discerning eye, the pleasure would be greater. I'm learning on it.
I'm glad that you enjoyed both museums:) I think some preparation before visiting is indeed important. I enjoyed the gallery because we read some handouts before going.
ReplyDeleteThien-Phong, I'm glad that you were able to engage with this gallery as you have. By the way, I quite enjoyed the picture you posted of the Black Canoe!
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