The Art of Dimension at the Bill Reid Gallery
byBill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art presents the Vancouver premiere exhibition of The Art of Dimension, featuring the copper, gold and silver carving artistry of Haida Gwaii’s lauded Skil Xaaw Jesse Brillon, alongside Bill Reid’s own masterful repoussé works. Brillon is widely known for his excellence in specialty precious metals techniques, including repoussé, chasing and lost-wax casting.
The Art of Dimension at the Bill Reid Gallery
- When: July 4 – October 15, 2023
- Opening Celebration July 8, 2023 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm
- Where: Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art (639 Hornby St, Vancouver)
- Admission: Tickets can be purchased online or on site for $6-$13
- Free admission on the first Friday of the month, 2:00pm to 5:00pm
- Free admission for Indigenous Peoples and Gallery Members
The Art of Dimension is a vibrant celebration of Haida metalwork practices, and a powerful artistic affirmation of Indigenous knowledge sharing across generations.
Growing up as a close family friend to Bill Reid profoundly impacted Brillon’s artwork. His first paid commission at age 18 was painting a Bill Reid original, drawn by the artist in the galley of a seine boat. Brillon cites Reid’s immense body of work in repoussé as a major influence in his own metalwork artistry.
The exhibition further honours the roles of mentorship and family connections through the emerging voice and cedar sculptural works of Brillon’s niece and protégé, award-winning Haida and Cree artist Haayłingtso Marlo Wylie Brillon, who also makes her Bill Reid Gallery debut.
The Art of Dimension features 14 recent elaborate repoussé carvings, along with cedar carvings and painted works by Jesse Brillon. Several modern works by Bill Reid will be showcased to encourage a dialogue between the two artists’ work. Marlo Wylie Brillon’s four featured cedar artworks reflect her close connection to Jesse Brillon, and his important role as a mentor for her artistic development since she was a young child.
Gallery visitors are also offered a rare and personal viewing of special dowry pieces created by Jesse Brillon for the 2022 marriage of his sister, Kalga Jaad Erin Brillon to artist Andy Everson. This was the first clan feast of the Laana Staadas clan in more than 150 years. These pieces include a printed canvas Laana Tsaadas Dance Screen, copper and ermine jihlk’yah (headdress), and a gold repoussé crest pole bracelet with abalone shell inlay. Also featured is Marlo Wylie Brillon’s carved K’aaxada (dogfish shark) mask which was danced at the celebration.
The Art of Dimension premiered at the Haida Gwaii Museum in 2022. Bill Reid Gallery has expanded the original exhibition to include further information about Bill Reid’s artistic influence on Jesse Brillon, a deeper exploration of the history of Haida metalwork, and additional details about the special marriage feast held by the Laana Staadas clan.
A series of ancillary events will support The Art of Dimension, including an opening celebration on Saturday, July 8, several workshops, an artist demonstration, artist talks, and public programs.
Skil Xaaw Jesse Brillon resides in his home village of Skidegate, Haida Gwaii where he balances commercial fishing and a love of the environment with his art career. After high school, he apprenticed with Haida artist Don Yeomans and Gitksan master jeweller Phil Janze. Brillon has achieved a mastery of the form and now creates museum quality pieces individualized by their fineness, boldness, and depth. His works are held in private collections globally and have been exhibited at the American Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Vancouver, the Haida Gwaii Museum, and the Comox Valley Art Gallery.
Emerging artist Haayłingtso Marlo Wylie Brillon has studied Haida art from her uncle, Skil Xaaw Jesse Brillon, Kwakwaka’wakw art from Chief Kwamxalagalis Andy Everson, and steam bending to create bentwood boxes from Richard Sumner, a Kwakwaka‘wakw master bentwood box-maker and carver. Marlo was awarded two YVR Emerging Artist Scholarships (2019 and 2020), providing an opportunity to exhibit her work at the Vancouver International Airport and the Museum of Vancouver.
Read about more exhibitions at the Bill Reid Gallery
