After months of planning, and weeks of painting and prepping – the Prince Rupert community has a new Coast Tsimshian mural to add to the inventory of public art throughout Lax Kxeen.
The Lax Kw’alaams Business Development LP (LaxBDL), in partnership with Transition Prince Rupert, has been working behind the scenes to beautify the harbour facing side of the LaxBDL building – looking toward Mariners Park.
The mural depicts the LaxBDL logo, an original design by Russell Mather. The painting was largely done in the community with local youth, an initiative that Mather took upon himself. The logo is called “Our Wealth”:
The image of “Our Wealth” was created for the Lax Kw’alaams Business Development located in Prince Rupert, B.C. The concept for this design is to capture a collection of Tsimshian stories from our past and use them to reflect within, This art piece is a rendition of a grease bowl, a traditional vessel used to contain eulachan grease derived from the eulachan fish, as known as our savior fish. During times of famine, our ancestors were taught how to create methods of catching and preparing this valuable fish. Historically, eulachan were used for barter and trade. Our people developed a vast network of grease trails linking communities to harvest areas along the Skeena and Nass River systems.
At the centre of the grease bowl is a mirrored image signifying two individuals coming to an agreement.
Moving outward on the design is a fish head representing the eulachan. This image uses black form likes that lend structure to the design and are complemented with a red color to complete the image. Philosophically, the premise in business ventures is to build collaboration and create positive, healthy partnerships that will grow. The grease bowl image the center of the design reflects this by focusing upward with the hope for continued growth.
This initiative is made possible by Transition Prince Rupert’s Paint the Town initiative, and Pembina.
