The Victoria Arts Council presents When Two Waters Meet which showcases an international Japanese artist alongside Coast Salish artists exploring the importance of salmon.
The exhibition and associated publication honours the 35th anniversary of the Victoria-Morioka Friendship (“Sister City Accord”) by showcasing the work of City of Victoria Indigenous Artist-in-Residence Qwul`thilum Dylan Thomas and Japanese artist who has been active in Morioka, Sakura Koretsune.
An iteration of this show, featuring the two artists, was presented in Japan in November 2020. This revised exhibition stretches the dialogue through Thomas’ move to a curatorial role to advance Coast Salish contemporary visual art via work by additional artists.
Artists showcased in this exhibition include: Sakura Koretsune, Dylan Thomas, Maynard Johnny Jr, lessLIE, Susan Point, Roger Smith, Art Thompson, and Eliot White-Hill. The exhibition features two and three dimensional works relaying the importance of salmon in both cultures as well as an overall exploration of coastal life.
A corresponding installation in the VAC Vault project space by local artist Marianne Goodrich, titled Swimming With the Ancestors (an homage), incorporates resonant materials and imagery such as handmade papers and glass beads as well as fish silhouettes.
The exhibit runs from May 5 to June 27, 2021.