Take-Off on Thunderbird Boulevard, is made from car parts by Haida artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, who worked on the piece with youth from the Urban Native Youth Association in partnership with the Museum of Anthropology. Photo by Darin Dueck
By Glenn Drexhage
A year ago, UBC’s Thunderbird Winter Sports Centre opened. A month ago, the centre was named in honour of UBC alum and hockey devotee Doug Mitchell. And today, the centre – which will host hockey events during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games – is graced inside and out by gorgeous Aboriginal art, including a stunning piece constructed from recycled car parts.
The permanent installations are the result of the Vancouver 2010 Venues’ Aboriginal Art Program, which features art from more than 90 Aboriginal artists. First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists involved in the program hail from every province and territory in Canada.
“I think it’s really outstanding and exciting that VANOC [the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Games] has respected the traditional territory of Musqueam and commissioned our artists to showcase our artwork [at UBC],” says Johnna Sparrow-Crawford, 2010 Co-ordinator for Musqueam.
“VANOC wanted to leave a legacy of Aboriginal art in all the venues,” adds Eilis Courtney, Director of UBC Ceremonies and Chair of the committee that worked with VANOC to bring the art to the campus.
Seven pieces are featured at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, located on Wesbrook Mall. The Aboriginal Art Program has provided four of these pieces, including two sculptures outside the arena: Take-Off on Thunderbird Boulevard, a soaring sculpture of a bird made from car parts by Haida artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, who worked on the piece with youth from the Urban Native Youth Association in partnership with the Museum of Anthropology; and a vibrant Welcome Work carving by Musqueam artist Thomas Cannell located to the south of the Wesbrook Mall entrance. Cannell is the son of renowned Coast Salish artist Susan Point, a 2009 UBC honorary degree recipient. Inside the Arena, two large, intricate textiles by Musqueam artists Debra and Robyn Sparrow stand out for their vivid use of red, black and white (Debra also collaborated with Nike to design Team Canada’s hockey jersey for the 2010 Games).
The venue is also fortunate to have three commissioned carvings by Musqueam artists; a Thunderbird Disc, by artist group Direction 7, hangs outside the arena, while inside, two handsome carvings by Chrystal and Irving Sparrow are displayed.
The works from the VANOC program will be featured in a coffee-table book available this fall entitled O Siyam: Celebrating Aboriginal Art through the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
An unveiling celebration involving Musqueam and UBC will take place in October.
Posted Sep. 23, 2009. See other UBC Winter Game Stories
