Wei-Wai-Kum First Nation artist Tom Hunt Jr. has been selected as one of only four artists selected to show their work in a exhibition at the Royal BC Museum this fall.
The 2018 TimberWest First Nation Cultural Art Showcase program will take place at the Royal BC Museum for two weeks this coming September, but the public will also get an up-close-and-personal opportunity to engage with the artists in the outdoor upper plaza of the museum for a two-week period starting next week.
“Congratulations to the artists selected in this year’s program,” says Jeff Zweig, President and CEO of TimberWest. “We were very pleased with the number of applicants and particularly impressed by their talent. It will be our privilege to showcase the selected artists’ work and share it broadly with the public. Through these artists’ original works and witnessing the creative process, we will deepen our appreciation of their cultural perspectives and personal heritage.”
“The Royal BC Museum as a venue for the TimberWest First Nation Cultural Art Showcase allows the public to interact, engage and learn from the artists in manner that allows for open discussion and reflection,” says Professor Jack Lohman CBE, Royal BC Museum CEO. “During the summer months, the artists will have an opportunity to work next to Master Carvers Tom and Perry LaFortune, brothers and members of the Tswout First Nation, who are carving a 25-foot totem pole. The public will have open access to all the artists to learn and engage with them about their craft and culture.”
Artist profiles and artwork will also be shared over the summer on TimberWest’s blog and social media channels.
The other artists being featured in this year’s showcase are brothers Dave and Johnathan Jacobson of Tsaxis First Nation in Fort Rupert, Toni Frank of Shishalh First Nation in Sechelt, and the Good Family from Snuneymux First Nation in Nanaimo.
This isn’t the first local who has had the honour of being selected for the show. Last year, Curtis Wilson was selected for the showcase, which was then held at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo.