"Historically, dominant cultures and ruling authorities have taken it upon themselves to preserve artifacts from perceived lesser societies, displaying the objects in galleries as a sign of their own wealth and authority."

"There Is Hope, If We Rise challenges all Canadians to take a stand to preserve the fabric of this country, while forging a new relationship with the Indigenous First Nations to balance out the inequality and abject poverty that some First People are subject to."

Four years ago, I stumbled upon the site of a log-home developer on the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, my reserve on northeastern Vancouver Island. I found it comical that my nation leased a plot of land, on un-ceded territory, to a company that exploits our resources to assemble log homes to be shipped off to the wealthy around the world. 

"Within this, my work deals with the loss of language, loss of cultural resources and the effects of colonization upon the Indigenous people of North America."

General Artist Statement

The impetus behind my work is to bring to light the dark, hidden history of Canada's actions/inactions against the Indigenous people. I often infuse my work with wry humor in an attempt to foster a dialogue; to speak to the realities of being an Indigenous person in the colonial state of Canada. 

 

Within this, my work deals with the loss of language, loss of cultural resources and the effects of colonization upon the Indigenous people of North America.

 

 

Within this, my work deals with the loss of language, loss of cultural resources and the effects of colonization upon the Indigenous people of North America."

"Reconciliation is the current favourite catchphrase of the colonial agenda. If we are truly ready to adopt "reconciliation" as something beyond lip service, is the celebration of the last 150 years really it?"

Something that stands out to me about this piece is how it uses something from his childhood, a video game arcade machine combined with parts of his culture. This represents really well how the Europeans broke the treaty with the First Nations, hence the title "Broken Treaties."

“The impetus behind my work is to bring to light the dark, hidden history of Canada's actions/inactions against the Indigenous people. I often infuse my work with wry humour in an attempt to foster a dialogue; to speak to the realities of being an Indigenous person in the colonial state of Canada. 

 

Within this, my work deals with the loss of language, loss of cultural resources and the effects of colonization upon the Indigenous people of North America.”

 

 

 

The Value of What Goes On Top/The Value of What Goes Within questions the elevation of inanimate objects to a higher status of art, based on where, how, and who places them."

"My question is, would this observer assume that the plinth holds the conceptual wealth over the object itself?"