Enduring strength of family and community is radiated in an upcoming exhibition at Pitt Meadows Art Gallery.
Starting Saturday, July 12, the a multi-artist exhibition by Native Art Renaissance Foundation will tell the story of joy, connection, resilience, and healing.
"Signs of Healing" will invite viewers not only to observe, "but to actively witness and participate in the healing process," of Indigenous people.
"For over 400 years, Indigenous people have endured immense hardship—marked by colonization, forced displacement, cultural erasure and acts of genocide. The legacy of this trauma has created generations of pain and systemic inequality," said the city online.
Some, the city says, question, often with disdain or indifference, why Indigenous people can just move on or ask when will they be healed.
"These questions overlook the depth of the harm and the time it takes to heal from centuries of injustice," noted the city.
This exhibition doesn't dwell on sorrow, it tells, instead, a story of the process of healing, a process that artist James Groening, founder of the Native Art Renaissance Foundation, wants others to actively witness and participate in.
"Signs of Healing" will feature a diverse range of media, from acrylic paintings to painted deer skin and cedar carvings.
It showcases the work of both emerging artists and professional artists, including youth.
All work will be available for sale.
"As Indigenous communities continue to reclaim their voices, cultures, and identities, their art becomes a living expression of strength, pride and transformation. It shows us what healing can look like: powerful, beautiful, and ongoing," added the city.
"Together, we move forward. Together, we heal."
The Pitt Meadows Art Gallery is located at the South Bonson Community Centre, 10932 Barnston View Road, Pitt Meadows.
Opening reception takes place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, and the exhibit runs until Sunday, Aug. 24.
Gallery hours are 11-3 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday, and admission is free.
For more information go to: pittmeadows.ca/pmag.
