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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Eyes of Society: Art, Traditional Knowledge, and the Watchmen of Haida Gwaii</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt">June 15<sup>th</sup> 2018 – Sept 30<sup>th</sup> 2018<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Robert Bateman Centre, Victoria, BC</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Eyes of Society: Art, Traditional Knowledge, and the Watchmen of Haida Gwaii, </span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt">is a collection of over thirty works of art by ten Haida and non-indigenous artists.
Coming from different regional and cultural backgrounds in Canada, all the artists explore the meaning of ‘sense of place’ on the islands of Haida Gwaii through their own artistic traditions. Through their art, language and beliefs, they investigate the notion
that artists, traditionally, have been the “eyes of society.” </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">For indigenous communities like Haida Gwaii, art has long been a vehicle for the transmission of traditional knowledge and values from one generation to the next. Traditional forms and representational imagery
convey the stories of the people, enabling the continuity of a shared identity, which defines the group and provides social cohesion.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">What can the "Watchmen of Haida Gwaii" teach the rest of us about our relationship with our own land, the place we identify as home? What suitable context can we adopt to define the relationship between First
Nations and the non-indigenous peoples, who jointly inhabit this land and rely on artists from all backgrounds to be the “eyes of society?"</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The exhibit conversation starts with the 2016 short documentary <i>Eyes of Society</i>, which documents the kayak trip of 6 artists travelling from the Haida village sites of T'aanuu to SG̱ang Gwaay Llanagaay.
It is an opportunity to present together First Nations and non-indigenous artists from different backgrounds an exploration of the meaning of ‘place’ through difference artistic ways of seeing. What results is a diverse collection of work representing a cross-section
of Canada's diverse population. Each of the artists reflects his or her own experience of Haida Gwaii and, through an examination of core Haida traditional knowledge and values, establishes a common ground towards a shared future.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Eyes of Society</span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> features the artwork of April White, Anja Karisik, Sophie Lavoie, Jim Hart, Gwaai Edenshaw, Jaalen Edenshaw, Gary Landon, Andrew Sookrah, W David
Ward, and Robert Bateman. The exhibit will also feature the documentary <i>Eyes of Society</i> by Joe Crawford and Allison Smith of Braid Films.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The Eyes of Society exhibit opening will be held from 5:00 – 7:30 pm on June 15<sup>th</sup>. At 6:00 pm join us for a special presentation as the artists talk about the vision behind their work. Light refreshments
will be served. Space is limited. Both members and non-members must reserve tickets. <span style="background:white">Cost: $10.00 for Non-Members, Free for Members. Visit
<a href="https://batemancentre.org/events/eyes-society-art-opening/">https://batemancentre.org/events/eyes-society-art-opening/</a> for more information.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;background:white">Sponsored by Mayfair Optometric Clinic.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;background:white">-30-</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Longhouse Image Credit: <i>Looking around and blinking house</i><span style="background:white"> - design by Robert Davidson, painted by Reg Davidson. Photo - Joseph Crawford.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;background:white">Media Contact<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;background:white">Leanne Cadden<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;background:white"><a href="mailto:marketing@batemancentre.org">marketing@batemancentre.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;background:white">250-306-5237</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><img border="0" width="453" height="701" style="width:4.7187in;height:7.302in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D403D9.66552670" alt="/Users/cassieholcomb/Desktop/Screen Shot 2018-06-14 at 12.11.18 PM.png"></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black">Cassie Holcomb</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">Engagement Manager,</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#D54C1F">The
Bateman Foundation and Robert Bateman Centre</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><a href="http://batemancentre.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">Web</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">|</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><a href="https://twitter.com/batemancentre" target="_blank" title="https://twitter.com/batemancentre Cmd+Click or tap to follow the link"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">Twitter</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">|</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/RobertBatemanCentre" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">Facebook</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">|</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><a href="http://instagram.com/batemancentre/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">Instagram</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">|</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g154945-d4324657-Reviews-Robert_Bateman_Centre-Victoria_Victoria_Capital_Regional_District_Vancouver_Islan.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">TripAdvisor</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">250.940.3626 ext 303</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:red"><br>
Explore nature one pencil stroke at a time with our newest initiative </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:#5E5E5E">NatureSketch.org</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:red">!</span></i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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