Vancouver and Beyond

Three carved portals by prominent Coast Salish artist Susan Point were officially unveiled today in Stanley Park at the Brockton Point totem site.

Entitled People Amongst the People, the 15 to 17-foot-high portals are a welcome from the Coast Salish to visitors of Stanley Park, the totem site, and the traditional lands of the Coast Salish people. This installation is of particular significance to the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh people, who currently have no artwork represented among the totem poles at Brockton Point. The three Nations cooperated in the selection and celebration of this work.

The intricate works, which were three years in the making, were commissioned by the City of Vancouver’s Public Art Program, and developed through collaborative efforts with Coast Salish Arts; Vancouver Storyscapes, a City Social Planning project that encouraged aboriginal people to share their stories through a variety of media; the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Watuth First Nations, and the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation.
Susan Point is a Coast Salish artist living on the Musqueam reserve in Vancouver. She has completed numerous public and private commissions including major works for the Vancouver International Airport and for the Smithsonian institute in Washington, DC.

The City of Vancouver Public Art Program encourages and supports opportunities for artists to incorporate contemporary art practices into City and private sector planning. The Program funds art-making of many kinds to provide for the creation of art that expresses the spirit, values, visions, and poetry of place that collectively define Vancouver.

People Amongst the People
By Susan Point
All of the imagery used for the artwork draws on central Coast Salish design elements. People Amongst the People’s three portals are:

 Male and Female Welcome Figures
These three carved pieces frame the view of the original totem poles, creating a grand entrance to the site. In a traditional Salish gesture of welcome, the figures of these two upright poles greet visitors with raised, outstretched hands. Both figures wear Salish blankets incorporating weaving designs and a salmon motif. The male upright has traditional design elements carved on the back. The reverse side of the female upright uses a motif influenced by Salish berry basket designs, and honours the skills of Salish ancestors.

Grandparents and Grandchildren
On the southwest side of the totems are figures of grandparents and grandchildren on the upright poles. An intertwined braid of hair links the three female faces of the grandparents pole, illustrating the powerful matrilineal links running through Salish generations. The abstract design on the back of the pole represents the salmon that were once so plentiful in the area and so important in the lives of the Salish. The grandchildren upright also pays tribute to the importance of the family bond within Salish culture. The reverse side features a carved herring design that reflects the living culture in the area as it has been transformed through history.

Salish Dancer and Killer Whale
The third portal is visible from the seawall and park drive just north of the totem pole site.  The Salish Dancer upright shows a human figure holding a sea serpent rattle and serves as a reminder of the strength and ongoing evolution of Salish design. Above it is the Thunderbird, the most powerful of all spirits, and a symbol of protection. The tree roots on the opposite face of the upright remind us of our connection to the land, sea and sky.  The Killer Whale upright depicts five whales, each with a raven fin and salmon pectoral.  Humans and orcas are believed to be closely linked, and that when great chiefs die, they become killer whales. The reverse side displays a boldly coloured Salish design. The crossbeam is carved with a Salish textile motif.

 
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