Sacred - Indigenous Multimedia Art Display

Sacred is an Indigenous multimedia art display at City Hall that showcases a range of traditional and contemporary art forms created by eight emerging and established Indigenous artists.

Curated by Indigenous curator Rose Spahan with the assistance of Eli Hirtle, Sacred features artworks throughout City Hall in a variety of media, including indoor murals, an LED light painting, an outdoor projection, a short film, a poem, a series of photographs and a series of silk-screened prints. All artworks have been created by Indigenous artists living on Vancouver Island. 

“Showcasing Indigenous arts in City Hall reminds people of whose land we are on, and acts as a reminder of 
the creative work, history and talent of First Nations peoples. The intent of these works is for the audience to experience the love, creativity, talent and ingenuity of the creations. The artist are diverse individuals, which is showcased in the diversity of their art forms.” - Rose Spahan

The opening reception for Sacred took place on National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21, 2018) at City Hall. The event was free to the public and included a performance by The Lekwungen Dancers, a poetry reading, film screening and the opportunity to meet the curators and several of the featured artists and to view the artworks.

Sacred is part of the City of Victoria's ongoing work towards Reconciliation. 

The Artworks

To be diverse and inclusive, Rose Spahan with the assistance of Eli Hirtle, curated artworks by local Coast Salish as well as Métis, Diné (Navajo), Nehiyaw (Cree), Saanich, and Mohawk artists, who call Vancouver Island home.

Image of the Woven mural on an interior wall of City Hall by Indigenous artist Nicole Neidhardt.
Woven by Nicole Neidhardt – one of the two side-by-side murals focusing on the people in the land and the land within the people, located on the first floor corridor of City Hall.
Image of people looking at the full Woven mural in a hallway of City Hall.
Woven by Nicole Neidhardt – one of two side-by-side murals focusing on the people in the land and the land within the people, located on the first floor corridor of City Hall
Image of Indigenous artist Jesse Campbell's Lekwung mural at City Hall.
Lekwung by Jesse Campbell – one of two side-by-side murals focusing on the people in the land and the land within the people, located on the first floor corridor of City Hall
Image of Lekwung mural on an interior wall of City Hall by Indigenous artist Jesse Campbell.
Lekwung by Jesse Campbell – one of two side-by-side murals focusing on the people in the land and the land within the people, located on the first floor corridor of City Hall
Image of the lit artwork box on a wall of City Hall by Indigenous artist Dylan Thomas. The artist is standing talking to visitors about his artwork.
Raising Lights by Dylan Thomas – an LED light painting representing a house post, located on the east wall of the Douglas Street foyer
Image of the River Run artwork along the City Hall foyer's spiral staircase by Indigenous artist Dylan Thomas.
River Run by Dylan Thomas – a mathematical decal (mural) that adorns the spiral staircase in the main foyer of City Hall
Image of a large framed poem on a wall titled Here by Indigenous artist Philip Kevin Paul.
Here, a poem by Philip Kevin Paul – located on the wall opposite the ground floor elevator on the first floor of City Hall
Image of video monitor with a blue geographic screenshot from the film by Indigenous artists Eli Hirtle with the support of Brianna Bear.
Lekwungen: Place to Smoke Herring by Eli Hirtle – a film created with the support of Brianna Bear which can be viewed on a television monitor in the Douglas Street foyer of City Hall
Image of photographic prints on wall of City Hall by Lindsay Delaronde.
A series of photographic prints featuring performances organized by Lindsay Delaronde during her Indigenous Artist Residency – installed on the hallway wall opposite the Songhees Nation Meeting Room on the second floor of City Hall
Image of silk screen prints by Indigenous artist lessLIE.
A series of silkscreen prints by lessLIE – located on the hallway wall opposite the Esquimalt Nation Meeting Room on the second floor of City Hall
Image of artwork projection on an exterior wall by Indigenous artist Dylan Thomas.
Releasing the Light by Dylan Thomas – an outdoor projection onto the Pandora Avenue wall of City Hall

The Artists

Below are short bios about the eight Indigenous artists showcased in the Sacred Indigenous multimedia display at City Hall. 

The Curators

Indigenous artist Rose Spahan, with the assistance of Eli Hirtle, curated the Sacred Indigenous multimedia display at City Hall. Eli is also one of the eight featured artists.