Forest Floor: Jewellery Inspired by the Land
By Alex Dawkins
Posted in News, on August 30, 2015
Last year, Lattimer Gallery organized an exhibition titled From the Depths which featured silver jewellery based on water and the sea. Two years ago, we hosted a show titled Silver Linings which asked artists to use symbols associated with the sky. This fall, we are proud to present Forest Floor: Jewellery Inspired by the Land. This broad theme has enabled artists to draw from a wide variety of symbols. From ground-dwelling insects to critters in the canopy, the forests of British Columbia contain no shortage of fascinating flora and fauna. While most Northwest Coast First Nations jewellery is based on animal imagery, which is rooted in family crest symbolism, a few artists have opted to portray inanimate objects for our show this year. A few of the exceptional pieces in this show include whimsical Wild Blueberry earrings, a playful Porcupine pendant, and a fearless Galaga Snaanga (Fungus Man) cuff bracelet.
This is definitely one of our most exciting shows yet, and the artists really enjoyed challenging themselves to portray atypical objects and symbols. Participating artists include Gus Cook (Kwakwaka’wakw), Shawn Edenshaw (Haida), Dean Hunt (Heiltsuk), Corrine Hunt (Kwakwaka’wakw/Tlingit), Earl Muldon (Gitxsan), Frank Paulson (Haida), Ernest Swanson (Haida), Kelvin Thompson (Ojibwa/Salteaux/Haisla), Sonia Triebwasser (Kwakwaka’wakw), Barry Wilson (Haisla), and Clint Work (Kwakwaka’wakw).
Forest Floor: Jewellery Inspired by the Land will run from September 26th to October 10th, 2015. An online preview of the pieces will be available starting September 19th. Please join us for our opening reception on Saturday, September 26th, between 4pm-6pm. Artists will be in attendance and refreshments will be provided. See you then!