Showing 575 results

Use for: House boards

• [Spring 1996]
• Student exhibition: A look at souvenirs and other Northwest Coast artistry for sale in Vancouver by students in Anthropology 432, “The Anthropology of Public Representation.”

• April 5 - June 15, 1977
• Student exhibition: An exhibition by the students of Fine Arts 461 and 561.

• May 26 – August 30, 1981 (Gallery 5)

• June 28 - September 4, 1988 (Gallery 5)
• Using Pacific Northwest Coast Indian masks from MOA’s collection, this exhibition illustrates the tradition of making masks that extends along the entire Northwest culture area from northern Washington State through British Columbia to the Alaskan panhandle. The range of mask types and their use is considerable. They may represent chiefs and ancestors of high rank, or more commonly, serve as a means of making the supernatural world visible. Masks vary in size, shape, complexity and purpose from one tribal group to another. This exhibit combines both historical and contemporary examples of this dramatic art form.
• Canada House, London, England Travelling Through March 4, 1988

Use for: Ibo

• Southeastern Nigerian culture.

• August 8 - October 15, 1978
• An exhibition of artefacts from the Palaeolithic to the rise of the Japanese state, borrowed from museums and private collections in Japan.

• January 20 - March 15, 1981 (Gallery 9)

• October 13, 1987 - January 3, 1988 (Gallery 5)
• An exhibition of photographs entered for the Commonwealth Photography Award. This project was produced with the assistance of the Standard Chartered Bank.

• June 22, 2017 - Spring 2019
• CURATORS: Karen Duffek, Jordan Wilson, Bill McLennan
• Despite sitting still in a glass case before you, some artworks never stop moving. They contain histories. They challenge us. They are more than art. In a Different Light presents more than 110 historical Indigenous artworks and marks the return of many important works to British Columbia. These objects are amazing artistic achievements. Yet they also transcend the idea of ‘art’ or ‘artifact’. Through the voices of contemporary First Nations artists and community members, this exhibition reflects on the roles historical artworks have today. Featuring immersive storytelling and innovative design, it explores what we can learn from these works and how they relate to Indigenous peoples’ relationships to their lands. With the increasing impacts of colonization in the 19th century, many Northwest Coast objects were removed from their communities. As they circulated through museums and private collections, their histories were often lost. Indigenous community members are now reconnecting with these objects and rebuilding their past. Through their eyes, you will come to see these artworks in a different light — as teachers, belongings, even legal documents. Ultimately, this inaugural exhibition of the Gallery of Northwest Coast Masterworks highlights the creativity and inventiveness of Northwest Coast artists and how they understood the world they lived in. And critically, it shows us the immense body of knowledge that endures today.

• March 1, 2016 - January 31, 2017
• CURATOR: Carol E. Mayer (MOA Curator, Pacific)
• The Sepik River of Papua New Guinea is one of the largest river systems in the world, extraordinarily beautiful, but seldom visited. It is here that the Iatmul people, who live along its banks, have created internationally renowned works of art primarily inspired by stories of the majestic crocodile as the primordial creator. This unique exhibition will showcase the most comprehensive collection of contemporary Sepik art in North America for the first time. In addition to highlighting the exquisite carvings of Papua New Guinea’s latmul people, the exhibition will delve into their economic, cultural, and spiritual connections to the river system, drawing urgent attention to the logging and mining operations that pose environmental threats to the region. Curated by Dr. Carol E. Mayer (MOA Curator, Pacific), In the Footprint of the Crocodile Man will showcase 27 enthralling sculptural works, created by upwards of 20 Sepik artists. Carved from wood, the strikingly beautiful pieces are ornately decorated with paint, sago fiber, cowry shells, and cassowary feathers.
• Inspiration for each sculpture is drawn from a number of sources, including ritual events such as initiation ceremonies, mythical beings who visit the villages at night, daily life on the Sepik River, and from ancestral stories of the majestic crocodile as the primordial creator. A sweeping installation of 100 hand woven flying foxes will also hang from the gallery ceiling, each one greeting visitors with a distinctive expression. The sculptural works will be displayed alongside photographs and videos of the magnificent Sepik River. These complementary components, prepared specifically for the exhibition, will provide further context for the contemporary art and highlight the environmental risks from logging and mining organizations. The most notable and immediate threat addressed in the exhibition will be that of the Frieda Mine, where excavation will begin even as the MOA exhibition opens. Located near the Sepik headwaters, the possibility of mine tailings entering the river system poses a grave risk to the Sepik people’s economy, cultural identity, and way of life.

• [ca. 1987-1988]

Use for: Babies

• September 14, 1993 - February 27, 1994 (Gallery 10)
• Guest curators Cole Harris and Robert Galois trace the British and Spanish expeditions through British Columbia’s Inside Passage.