Bill Reid Gallery Explores the Potlatch Tradition with Premiere of – NDN Giver –

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Gallery image by Sama Jim Canzian.

Bill Reid Gallery Explores the Potlatch Tradition with Premiere of – NDN Giver –

The exhibition invites viewers to consider how the act of giving is tied to identity, responsibility, resistance, and renewal

Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art presents the world premiere of NDN Giver, from September 17, 2025 – January 25, 2026. Curated by the gallery’s Assistant Curator Amelia Rea in her solo curatorial debut, the exhibition examines reciprocity, identity, and the evolving practice of gift-giving within potlatch traditions. Bringing together contemporary potlatch gifts such as prints and mugs alongside archival records of historical potlatches, NDN Giver features select pieces from Amelia’s personal collection as well as works by artists from communities across the coast, including the Haida and Heiltsuk Nations.

“The preparation for NDN Giver has been deeply personal and community-oriented,” says Rea, Bill Reid Gallery Assistant Curator. “It has meant revisiting my own collection of potlatch gifts, reaching out to artists and knowledge holders, and navigating the responsibilities of representation with care. Drawing from a lifetime of experience attending and participating in potlatches along the Northwest Coast, the process has also given me the opportunity to reflect on my own relationship to the potlatch as a lived practice, a political act, and a cultural foundation.”

LISTING INFORMATION

Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art presents

NDN Giver

Dates:

September 17, 2025 – January 25, 2026

Winter Hours: Tues to Sat, 10am to 5pm

Address:

Bill Reid Gallery

639 Hornby St

Vancouver, BC, V6C 2G3

Website: billreidgallery.ca