From 2020 to late 2021, I rented a classroom in the museum, serving as the location office for the art documentary series Petroglyphs to Pixels. While there, my team and I had access to the vast collection of artwork and family treasures, some of which date back centuries. A simple walk through the museum and its galleries allows one to take in masterworks of the great Haida nation. Its displays, both precolonial and contemporary, are extraordinary.
The fine art of the contemporary Masters, Robert Davidson, James Hart, Alfie Collinson, Delores Churchill, Evelyn Vanderhoop, and so many others, is visible throughout. The works of artists who are now considered ancestors and part of the immediate previous generation, including the venerable master of textiles, Bill Reid, Primrose Adams, and carver Norman Price, are on permanent display.
James Hart is one of many practitioners who has taken an ancient design module to another level
James Hart is one of many practitioners who has taken an ancient design module to another level. According to HGM Executive Director Nika Collison, it’s about responsibility. “Jim is an amazing artist, and he has taken the form in many different directions.” Hart is also a hereditary chief with chiefly possessions.
Jeff Bear is a creator, writer, and director focusing on Indigenous content. A multimedia expert with over 30 years of experience in television broadcasting and journalism, Bear seeks to follow a story, the movement of his people in society, and to capture the nuances of those pursuing social and environmental justice.
