Coming soon to the General Office, above the Executive Assistant’s station is ‘Chilkat Blackfish’. This beautiful piece is the final addition from the Legacy Art Gallery and brings the art update in the General Office to a close. It was created by accomplished Canadian First Nations artist Roy Henry Vickers.
Born in 1946 in Greenville, northern BC, Roy Henry Vickers began studying traditional First Nations art and design at the Gitanmaax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art in Hazelton. Following his formal education, Vickers developed his own unique style of expression. He blends the traditional stylization of his indigenous Tsimshian, Haida and Heiltsuk background on his father’s side with the realism from his mother’s British ancestry to establish a style that is now almost synonymous with Canada.
‘Chilkat Blackfish’ is different from Vickers’ more recent work; it has less of a focus on natural elements and incorporates geometric shapes. However, this piece is a perfect representation of Vickers’ earlier style. With bold colours and distinct indigenous stylization, ‘Chilkat Blackfish’ depicts the story of the blackfish (orca) as the Tsimshian crest:
There were three Tsimshians men who went out to hunt in their canoe. The chief of the Blackfish sent one of his servants, a little ratfish, up to see who was there. One of the men in the canoe was angry at the intrusions; he grabbed the fish and broke off its fins and threw it back into the ocean. The little fish swam back to his chief, crippled and in great pain.The Blackfish chief then sent two Blackfish to bring both men and canoe before him. The Blackfish warned them never to harm little fish in anger. Finally, the Blackfish chief ordered his men to escort the Tsimshian back.
The Tsimshian returned home with their story and adopted the Blackfish as their crest.
Roy Henry Vickers continues to work as an accomplished carver, a design advisor for many prestigious public spaces, a publisher and a prolific public speaker. He has created monumental works of art for many public spaces including the Vancouver International Airport and the Saanich Commonwealth Centre in Victoria. His work can be found in public collections around the world including the National Museum of Man and the National Museum of Japan. A recognized leader in the First Nations community, Vickers is an advocate for recovery from addiction and abuse and has received many awards for his engagement with the indigenous community. He received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003 and many of his pieces have been extended as welcome gifts to political figures visiting BC. This exposure and popularity has spurred the iconic reputation of his work and has helped to bring an important Canadian indigenous perspective to art, society and the world.
Reflection Questions:
- How does your heritage influence your life?
- Do you tend to have a bias toward tradition or modernity? How does this inform your perspective on culture, art or politics?
To learn more about Roy Henry Vickers, visit the following websites:
https://royhenryvickers.com/pages/artist-biography
http://www.spiritwrestler.com/catalog/index.php?products_id=3594
https://spiritsofthewestcoast.com/collections/roy-henry-vickers
http://www.spiritwrestler.com/catalog/index.php?artists_id=560