Walk 'Path of the Totem' in Duncan and uncover roots of Indigenous culture

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Cowichan Public Art Gallery exhibit features maquettes of Duncan's totems, as well as First Nation prints and photography

Art lovers looking to learn more about Indigenous art forms will want to walk the 'Path of the Totem' exhibit at the Cowichan Public Art Gallery.

There are two parts to this exhibit sponsored by Island Savings — the first is Path of the Totem, which celebrates concept to completion of the totem poles that gave Duncan it's name 'City of Totems', from their mini maquettes to their final full size installations.

Historically, model totem poles were created as easily transportable trade items in the latter part of the 19th century to exchange with Euro-Canadian and American visitors to the region.

The traditional symbols on the model poles were derived from their existing monumental counterparts that stood in villages and dwellings up and down the coast. These gave material form to the mythological origins of the peoples, proclaiming their rights of crest ownership or territorial claims, or, in the case of memorial poles, paying respect to those who had passed before.

It wasn't until the '80s and '90s when the universal popularity of totem poles began to take shape through both public and private commissions to artists worldwide that requests for maquette poles really begin to flourish.

"What would often happen is when an artist would be commissioned to do a totem pole, they would first discuss what they had in mind, and then carve the maquette version first," said Clark.

The second part to this exhibit showcases a selection of silk screened First Nations prints from curator Fraser Clark's private collection that he has been building for the past 30 years.

"I'm a big fan of Northwest Coast Native art, and I also am hoping to educate people more on what is called Northwest Coast form line graphics," said Clark.

'Path of the Totem', which first opened on Sept. 13, has already seen more than 600 visitors, which sparked the idea to extend the exhibit until Dec. 21 due to its increasing popularity.

"It feels great to extend this exhibit, it's basically the community saying that they like it," said Clark. "We've already had six classes of school kids come in and more to come, which is fabulous. We've also had a lot of First Nation students in as well who of course are quite fascinated with the display because it's their culture. Art classes have been coming in, to sit and do drawings and renditions of the maquettes. It's actually really cool."

Originally from Vancouver Clark, who is one of many curators at the gallery, has called the valley his home since 2004. Now retired, he has been volunteering with CPAG for just over a year. He has an extensive history in the art world and ran an Indigenous Art Gallery in Toronto for 20 years and would travel back and forth to the island during that time to commission different artists. He also spent 12 years as a corporate art consultant. Clark was inspired to curate this exhibit after walking into City Hall and catching a glimpse of their huge collection of maquette totem poles.

"I was blown away by the collection and immediately said to myself this is a show — these are little gems," said Clark. "It's really cool to curate this exhibit because it is right in my wheelhouse. I not only have a love for the art form but I also really want to see this gallery grow."

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