Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
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VANCOUVER, B.C. - Vancouver First Nations Creations Art Co-operative is pleased to be celebrating its first year anniversary with an opening reception for its new art exhibit "Random Indian Acts", Friday, September 6, 2002. The reception at First Nations Creations (20 Water Street in Vancouver's historic Gastown) is open to the public beginning at 7:00 pm.

"Random Indian Acts" is an exhibition of works dealing with contemporary ideals about traditional identity. Through a fusion of modern materials and images with innovative vision, artists Sabina Hill and Corrine Hunt, Peter Morin, and Kevin McKenzie, are working to create a new aesthetic and revelation with traditional concepts, culture and history, placing it within a modern context.

Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, the 28-year-old General Manager and Blackfoot native, has been at the center of the growth and prosperity of the gallery over the last year. "I'm thrilled that First Nations Creations Co-operative Art Gallery is seeing the anniversary of its first year! This is a landmark achievement for a gallery such as ours and for independent First Nation artists. We are proud to be one of the participating galleries during the 3rd annual S.W.A.R.M art walk."

First Nations Creations is a co-operative gallery that promotes further understanding of First Nations art with an emphasis on the artists' role in the art making process. The mandate is to support emerging First Nations artists and to encourage the diversity of artistic expression within their community.

"It's been a challenging and rewarding year. We have had numerous visitors and artists to the gallery since it opened September 7, 2001," says Bear Robe. Visitors have included the likes of George Littlechild, David Boxley, actors Graham Green and the star of the sitcom Frasier, Kelsey Grammer, who purchased a painting from the co-operative.

Artists showcasing their work in "Random Indian Acts" include Corrine Hunt (Kwakiutl Nation) who realizes the mythology of the Northwest Coast in her contemporary designs. Together with her business partner, Sabina Hill, their firm HillHunt creates furniture that combines the rich history and culture of Aboriginal design with a contemporary aesthetic. The company has even accepted commissions for office furniture for the Indian Affairs Treaty Negotiation's room. Orders have ranged from large pieces of furniture to a 3.6-meter high native dance prop suspended from a building, and from bowls and wall panels to presentation trays and plaques.

Kevin McKenzie (Cree Nation) is an industrial artist who fuses traditional First Nations elements such as horsehair, feathers and animal hides with technologically advanced materials like chrome, aluminium and Plexiglas. He describes his recent work, "It addresses the parallels I have perceived between modern technology and the ancient First Nations aesthetic."

Peter Morin (Tahltan Nation) works in mixed media and infuses political content into his work by incorporating artifacts and images from locked away museums. He says, "My role in art is to regain the articles of culture that were taken by the collectors and to place them back into Tahltan society."

"This contemporary exhibition braids the art from three different First Nations cultures," adds Bear Robe. "These artists have a passion and shared vision to reclaim independent First Nations culture and art. It is guaranteed to be an inspiring, political and non-conventional showcase."