Art & Reconciliation Workshop with Cory Douglas (Modern Formline)

The Field Collective is honoured to host Cory Douglas (Modern Formline) who will hold a workshop aimed at assisting architecture professionals to explain defining characteristics of Formline art, learn to discern differences and commonalities of Coast Salish from the larger family of Formline art forms, and to explore opportunities for architectural, cultural integration with public sector clients and private sector developers. An application for the event to be accredited for 1 AIBC Learning Unit (LU) is currently underway.

Event description

There are many examples where the history of the First Nations to Canada is being recognized. Two that immediately come to mind are when the Government of Canada issued an apology for the Residential School Survivors and when the City of Vancouver declared that this city is on unceded territory, implementing a 'City of Reconciliation' and 'Unceded Territories of the Coast Salish'.

The decolonization of our territory begins with understanding the differences of Coast Salish and Formline art forms. Respectfully the C.O.V. has proudly indigenized our city, celebrating the rich multicultural society we live in, but it is time to bring the Coast Salish to its rightful place, at the forefront. The opportunity is now for cultural integration with developers, architects, and professionals alike.

Presenter's biography

Since October of 2006 I have endeavoured to develop my ancestors' roots in artistry and continue to redefine myself as I merge my academic architectural vocation with my innate creativity. Together, mixed with my passion for detail, this marriage has come alive into what I define as "Modern Formline". Every creation first begins as a vision, followed by a sketch, as the piece merges into its personality and manifests on jewellery, paper, drums, bentwood boxes, and tattoos.

“I like the idea of freeing my images from the traditional two-dimensional surface of a crest and complimenting them with colour gradations and sketching them in three dimensional forms.”

My late grandfather Teddy Brown belonged to both ‘Killer Whale’ and ‘Eagle’ clans with the Tsimshian and Haida respectively. I am connected to the Squamish Nation through my mother and father.

As an apprentice to Jordan Seward and Aaron Nelson Moody, I have been studying traditional Haida form and Formline and Coast Salish design respectfully. I've graduated from the Northwest Coast Jewellery Arts Program (2011), taught by Dan Wallace. I am the current instructor at Native Education College, teaching the students the fundamentals of design, composition, and engraving. With their traditional knowledge and my vision, I compliment my rich cultures allowing me to reach a large audience, this in turn allows me to embrace my family’s history.

Learning objectives

1. With the initial stage of the presentation, participants will be able to explain defining characteristics of Formline art, a feature in the Indigenous art of the Northwest Coast of North America.

2. Through exposure to the art and cultural knowledge within the unceded territories of the MST, participants will discern differences and commonalities of Coast Salish from the larger family of Formline art forms.

3. As part of the process of decolonization, participants will explore opportunities for architectural cultural integration with public sector clients and private sector developers.

Host or Publisher The Field Collective