Indigenous

Indigenous mural art, painted by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people, reflects their contemporary and traditional values, stories, experiences, and ideas.

  • Blanketing the City V

    The fire in the design is a metaphor for the gross destruction caused by colonization and the Indian Residential and Day Schools and the devastating genocide of our people and ways of being. The land and the water prevail and ensure healing and restoration of wealth. Reconnecting to our lands and waters and all their ancient wisdom is restoring our health and wealth.

  • Untitled

    The geometric shapes cascading around the figure mimic threads passing through time, crafting the fabric of history. This continuity is central to the mural; the ancestors role in shaping the culture and its future.

  • Frog

    Artist Jordan Gallie hails from the Tsleil-Waututh nation, one of three nations whose ancestral and unceded land includes what is known today as Vancouver and the surrounding inlets, forests, and mountains.

  • Mending

    Winner of Mural of the Year 2016, this mural depicts a woman mending a ripped heart with thread. It represents the unity of First Nations peoples, from the South to the North. The muskox on her hat relate to how these animals protect their young from predators. The vamps on her poncho are symbols for the missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada, and it highlights the severity of this issue in this particular area of Winnipeg. The act of heart mending occurs every day, in various ways whether it be physical or spiritual, we are all on a process of healing.

  • Three Wolves

    Cunningham is a Portland-based artist whose work has been exhibited internationally for the last 20 years. His art deals with themes of environmental degradation, skateboard culture, gentrification, contemporary Indigenous identity and rights. Mostly working with large format murals, Cunningham also uses film and sculpture as mediums, drawing inspiration from his cultural background as a member of the Colville Tribe.

  • The Matriarch

    Artist Siobhan Joseph from the Squamish Nation was inspired by her late mother, the matriarch of her family, who was outspoken, who protested, and loved children. Joseph had a vision of a woman standing in a welcoming pose, with a man and elder woman on either side representing the men and elders of her community supporting her. The matriarch is depicted wearing red to honour the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and situated in the natural landscape of the land, mountains and sea, to represent connectedness.

  • Between Two Islands

    A partnership between the Vancouver Mural Festival, Nicola Wealth Real Estate, and The Narrow Group to transform an iconic Vancouver motel into a temporary art space, landmark, and community event venue before the site is redeveloped. Three artists with different styles collaborated to transform the motel into a single mural stretching across the exterior of the building which now houses artist studios.

  • Eagle Opens Up

    The content’s positive/impactful in a way it isn’t direct. Art is healing through form/flow/colour/aesthetic all subjective to the artist. Im going to leave perspective on current multi-generational reality that impact communities and people worldwide. It’s bright side as strong as I can express it through my style and spirit: through the art of our culture. Homes, (healthy functioning homes) are safe, sober, clean, strong and productive…loyal, nurturing and unified, (like this design.) A lot of people lost that from their lives. The house design-split-eagle-box represents everything negative and positive, balancing negative/positive spaces and opening up with the guidance of eagle reveals the movement of spirit bringing healing and nourishment to soul.

  • Our Stories

    19 Indigenous artists between the ages of 9-55 created 19 murals in a series titled “Our Stories.” Positioned on the exterior wall of Scotia Square, each mural is unique and tells its own story. These murals were created over the span of five workshops.

  • Tipi Silhouette

    This mural was a part of Astum Api Niikinaahk, an Indigenous-led housing project at Circle of Life Thunderbird House, the goal of the project to end and bring attention to homelessness. Five Indigenous artists were invited to create public art for the new housing site.

  • The Death Paintings

    This mural was a part of Astum Api Niikinaahk, an Indigenous-led housing project at Circle of Life Thunderbird House, the goal of the project to end and bring attention to homelessness. Five Indigenous artists were invited to create public art for the new housing site.