Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art

Bill Reid was the guy who revived and mainstreamed the art of the aboriginal peoples of British Columbia and southern Alaska. His artistic accomplishments are impressive and on display at his eponymous gallery as well as the UBC Museum of Anthropology.
This collection is some of his best work in several media. The wood work and monumental bronze are especially impressive.
A must see for anyone who is interested in native art forms.

Thanks to Unilocal reviews, I made a point to seek out this gallery after a visit to the art museum. What an inspiring collection it is. The displays are well designed for the space, very informative, and very moving. The craftmanship and designs are superb.
The small gift shop has beautiful Haida design scarves, amazing leather purses, lovely jewelry, and sculptures.

We discovered Bill Reid’s work at the Museum of Anthropology and made a point of going directly to the Bill Reid Gallery afterwards. His art and craftsmanship alone are compelling. Learning about his life and impact on northwest arts was deeply moving, and reading about the works displayed at the gallery was as educational as it was inspiring.

In a word Legendary .This man found his craft when he was 28. He discovered his hertitage and brought international acclaim to the art and culture of the west coast. The museum is packed with one master piece after another. His many disciplines are exhibited. Jewelery, totem carvings, mask making and more. Stop to see the Galaxy necklace. The birth of man, spirit of Haida.
Another Vancouver treasure.

I was at the Bill Reid Gallery to see Sho Sho Esquiro a local fashion designer’s current collection. I am sure Bill Reid would have loved anyway. Her work was Fantastic her Designs incorporate the colour and designs of Aboriginal Peoples within backdrop of modern couture fashion.
Bill Reid Art looked down on models l walking runway like a talisman showing the world what this generation of Aboriginal Artist/​Designer is expressing to both locally and globally.

A special mention to the Models that were all great but two were fantastic, I hope they go to New York with Sho Sho Esquiro and present her collection to the world.

Bill Reid’s prints, carvings, jewelry making, and even storytelling are collected in this compact gallery in the heart of downtown Vancouver. His most famous sculpures, Raven and the First Men and the Spirit of Haida Gwaii are still located at the Museum of Anthropology and at YVR, respectively, but forms of them are also included in this exhibit space.
It’s a small gallery but manages to explain the Bill Reid story from his origins to his legacy in Northwest Coast art. It’s a beautiful and awe-​inspiring body of work that’s represented here. My major complaint, however, is that they’ve set up a number of videos throughout the gallery, and they’re noisy and distracting. Headphones at each station would have been a good idea.
I liked the interactive nature of the exhibit, though. You can sit on couches and listen to Bill Reid read one of his stories and poems, or get a 360 degree view of the Spirit of Haida Gwaii on the big video screen. My favourite thing was the picture of Reid, who died not too long ago, with his Raven and First Men sculpture. The legend looks so human, cuddling up with his work.
Note: Pictures are allowed (no flash), except of the jewellery on display. I think this is for security reasons after the theft of some pieces from MOA at UBC.