Tide Lines - Coastal Resistance of the 60s and 70s

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Image courtesy of Gerry Ambers.

Beginning August 2022 and continuing into the new year, Open Space Elder-in-Residence Gerry Ambers will lead Tide Lines, a project focused on the intersections of Indigenous art and activism across the Pacific Coast region during the 1960s and 1970s, and how these two realms continue to influence each other. Significantly, Tide Lines supports the Elder-in-Residence’s long-standing desire to bring together a group of Elder artists activists from this time period and who were active in the Native Alliance for Red Power (N.A.R.P) between 1967-1977; increases the visibility of the important political and artistic contributions from this cohort; and documents these histories for current and future generations to learn from.

The central focus of TIDE LINES is the gathering, supported by an exhibition and documentation. The one-day gathering will host approximately 30 Elders from across Vancouver Island, adjacent islands, coastal communities and Washington State, many of whom were artists before, during and/or after this specific time period. Minimizing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and maximizing cultural safety, the gathering will be closed to the public. It will include a memorial for those who were involved and have since passed away. The backbone of the exhibition is a visual timeline, built over time, beginning August 9, 2022 and will be presented at Open Space as a “living” exhibition. It will include photos, notes, newspaper clippings, video and ephemera contributed by the gathering participants. The exhibition offers historical context for the artworks and artists participating in Open Space programs throughout 2022-23, including For Love, Loss & Land (Aug 6 - Oct 29, 2022) and The Stories We Belong To (Nov 12, 2022 – Jan 28, 2023).

Also watch for the parallel exhibition organized by Gerry Ambers, Marianne Nicolson and Siku Allooloo at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria in November 2022.