Messages of Joy
to
Lattimer Gallery 1590 W 2nd Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia V6J 1H2
Messages of Joy: Depictions of Hummingbirds in Northwest Coast Jewellery
For the past ten years, Lattimer Gallery has held a fall jewellery show based on a theme. We provide a conceptual framework for the exhibition, and then encourage artists to create anything they want based on the general subject. One year, we hosted a show titled Barnacles to Butterflies which asked artists to depict atypical animal symbols. Last year, our exhibition was titled Cycles - Themes of Renewal which encouraged First Nations jewelers to reflect on the state of the world over the past few years and create pieces focused on change and rejuvenation. This year, we have sensed that many artists and clients are enjoying the return to normalcy and are seeking experiences that bring freedom and joy. With this in mind, we decided to dedicate our exhibition to the sprightly, jovial hummingbird. Titled Messages of Joy, this year’s show features over twenty pieces dedicated to this chipper bird. While significance varies Nation to Nation, there are associated traits and representational characteristics of the hummingbird that remain constant cross-culturally. Within Northwest Coast Native cultures, Hummingbird is often more closely associated with insects rather than other birds because of its size, speed, and tendency to flit about from one place to the next. Because of this, they are seen as being messengers - flying about with news to tell.
Messages of Joy will open September 24th at 10am.
All pieces will be available for purchase in-person and online at this time. The show will run for two weeks and will end on October 8th.