World Premier of NDN Giver at the Bill Reid Gallery
Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art presents the world premiere of NDN Giver this September, until January. Curated by the gallery’s Assistant Curator Amelia Rea in her solo curatorial debut, the exhibition examines reciprocity, identity, and the evolving practice of gift-giving within potlatch traditions.
NDN Giver at the Bill Reid Gallery
- When: September 17, 2025 to January 25, 2026
- Where: Bill Reid Gallery (639 Hornby St, Vancouver)
- Admission: Regular admission rates apply
- check out the First Free Friday Afternoon of the Month thanks to Downtown Van
Bringing together contemporary potlatch gifts such as prints and mugs alongside archival records of historical potlatches, NDN Giver features select pieces from Amelia’s personal collection as well as works by artists from communities across the coast, including the Haida and Heiltsuk Nations.
At the heart of the exhibition is the potlatch as a living system of governance, law, wealth distribution, and cultural affirmation. Once criminalized under Canadian law, the potlatch has endured and evolved, and today offers a powerful alternative worldview based on sharing, sustainability, and relational accountability in the face of global crises. NDN Giver also speaks to a generational return to Indigenous law and knowledge systems, as well as a resurgence and reclamation of Identity. The exhibition’s title reclaims the derogatory term “Indian giver,” confronting colonial stereotypes imposed on Indigenous generosity and governing structures while reframing them through the potlatch, a system where giving is reciprocal, ceremonial, and deeply significant.
Artworks and gifts on display reflect the diversity of visual expression and ceremonial practice across different Nations, while emphasizing inter-Nation relationships and the ways in which potlatch culture is both distinct and interconnected along the coast. Contemporary pieces such as limited-edition prints, mugs, and multimedia work will be displayed in conversation with older potlatch and archival documents gathered by Rea and her mother, Dr. Lucy Bell. These historical records document events spanning generations, including potlatches held by Rea’s own ancestors, and highlight the protocols, family lineages, and governance structures embedded in the practice.
About the Gallery
The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art is a public gallery in the heart of downtown Vancouver. It was named after acclaimed Haida artist Bill Reid (1920–1998), a master goldsmith, carver, sculptor, writer, broadcaster, and spokesman. Since opening in 2008, the Bill Reid Gallery has remained the only public gallery in Canada devoted to contemporary Indigenous art of the Northwest Coast and is home to the Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Art Collection, as well as special exhibitions of contemporary Indigenous art of the Northwest Coast of North America. Through his art, Bill Reid continues to inspire emerging and established contemporary Indigenous artists. His legacies include infusing the art traditions of the Haida with modern forms of expression, influencing the next generation of artists, and building lasting bridges between First Nations and other peoples.
Follow the Bill Reid Gallery on Facebook for exhibition updates.
