Artist Curator Interview: Sierra Tasi Baker
Sierra is an award winning Squamish Nation public artist, consultant, storyteller and designer. She is also of Musqueam, Kwakwaka’wakw, Tlingit and Hungarian descent. Sierra has her Masters in Sustainable Urbanism from the Bartlett School of Planning from University College London in London, England, as well as her Bachelor in Environmental Design from the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture from UBC.
Sierra grew up in her family’s public art business, Sky Spirit Studio, learning from her father, Wade Baker (master carver, oral historian and storyteller) and mother Mary Tasi. Sierra has been creating murals and public artworks with her family since 2008. Sierra often incorporates the concept of “Two-Eyed seeing” into her work. Having one foot strongly rooted in her ancestral heritage and one foot in the Western world.
Sierra was the Creative Director of the City of North Vancouver’s “Studio in the City” program, teaching youth public art from 2016-2017. She now teaches “Decolonizing Design” through her company Sky Spirit Consulting whilst also advising on developing a uniquely Coast Salish approach to design, urban planning and community engagement.
Photography by Denita Gladeau. Makeup by Elisha Williams
What has been a highlight of your career so far?
The highlight of my career so far has been witnessing the young indigenous and afro-indigenous youth rising and finding their voices. I am extraordinarily grateful that I can be a part of helping open doors, create safer spaces, and continually break down barriers so our youth can shine.
What is really inspiring you right now to do your work?
The need for systemic change and reinstating ancestral laws, protocols and ways of being in my ancestral territories.
Tell us about your curation process with VMF this year.
My process for curating this year was rooted in the call to action to ensure there is more xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) (MST) and Coast Salish artwork and visibility in what is currently known as Vancouver. Vancouver's approach to showcasing indigenous art in MST territory has often been tokenistic and pan-indigeous. I chose to orient myself as a Squamish and Musqueam curator with an indigenous-futurist lens. Futurism coming directly from Afro-Futurism movements.
I'm also strongly influenced by my father, master carver and Coast Salish artist, Wade Baker, Halikium. I grew up watching my dad draw, paint and carve in Salish, Kwakwaka'wakw and Tłingit styles. He always has so much to teach me, and he would always say: "People always say we didn't have a written language. That's not true, our art forms are our language, our regalia is our language."
I chose to curate with the concept of imagining this city in right relation to all things and our way of life. Who would I want showcased in my city, what conversations do I want to have?
Ocean Hyland, Tsleil-Waututh @dropletfromthesalishsea
I chose Ocean because of her incredibly impactful, delicate, and educational approach to Coast Salish. Ocean is from the Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish and Cheam Nations. Ocean is a Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim language speaker and Tsleil-Waututh Nation artist. She roots her work in MST sovereignty and cultural reclamation. Her work speaks to what unceded and unsurrendered truly means
Steve Smith, Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw & Oweekeno #stevesmith
I chose Steve because of his unique approach to Kwakwaka'wakw formline. As one of two non-Coast Salish style artist I wanted to include Steve out of reverence for his style, and appreciation for his whimsical approach. Kwakwaka'wakw formline is a very well known style of formline on the West Coast and Steve does something completely different with it. His approach to colour, shape, and how he plays with the rules speaks to a true understanding of the style in order to incorporate a level of joy and curiosity in his work that is different than what we are used to seeing with Kwakwaka'wakw formline. Colonialism does not spark joy. Steve Smith's work sparks joy!
Abbey Pierson, Cowlitz, @flamingserpent.art
Abbey is from the Cowlitz Nation in what is currently known as Washington. I chose Abbey for her fantastical and hyper-graphic approach to Salish Formline and to open the conversation around false borders. In my family's oral history around how we survived the Great Flood there's a story of some cedar canoes that went adrift and landed further down south by what is known in english as Mount Baker, named after mapmaker Lt Joseph Baker on Captain George Vancouver's ship. Fun fact: Joseph Baker married into my ancestor Chief Ki-ap-ah-la-no's family in the late 1700's and is also my ancestor (hence where the Baker and Joseph family's gets their last names from).
"Coast Salish" is a term for over 60 nations in the general bioregion that is known to settlers as Cascadia. Our territories were effectively cut in half by the US false border officially established in its entirety in 1818. Using information from early maps drawn by mapmakers such as my ancestor Lt Joseph Baker. To me, taking ownership of our ancestor's actions is integral to healing and moving forward. Including Abbey is part of my step to reconnecting across these false borders.
Because of the pandemic Abbey was not able to travel to come to paint the mural herself despite the Jay Treaty. However, we were aided by several local artists. Abbey's artwork speaks to the barriers we face due to colonization and imperialism but also the ancestral connections and family lineages we still carry today and our collaborative nature.
Oakland Galbraith, mixed-race, @oaklandgalbraith
Oakland is the youngest muralist in Van Mural Fest to date! Oakland is also from an intergenerational artist family. Oakland is an afro-indigenous artist passionate about the environment and BLM. Oakland raised over $3,000 for BLM during his mural painting process by painting stars for people who donated to their local BLM groups. Oakland's mural is located close by to his school. Now he and his classmates can see the future they are working towards every day. A sustainable, inclusive, fun, safe and positive future that ensures we take care of each other.
Thomas Cannell, Musqueam @thomascannell
Thomas is a grand-scale intergenerational Musqueam artist and muralist, whose mother is Musqueam artist Susan A. Point. His internationally renowned works appear futurist but are completely rooted in his Musqueam teachings. Thomas reminds us about the intergenerational nature of our ancestral teachings and that Coast Salish "art" isn't art, it's cultural knowledge, law and governance systems that have been passed down since time immemorial through family lineages to present day. I encourage viewers to not see "Indigenous Art" as art in the European sense, unattached, individualistic, and solely present for spectacle, but as our way of governance, our way of teaching, and our way of interconnectedness to all things.
Ovila Mailhot, Nlaka’pamux, Sto:lo, @ovila79
Ovila is an accomplished Coast Salish graphic artist In his own words: "My work must carry some level of simplicity; it must not obscure itself. That’s the tradition I’ve inherited. My work is meant to add to a continuum within a culture so rich and expansive that it still hasn’t been fully actualized or received by mainstream culture." - Ovila Ovila has a unique ability to re-imagine Salish styles and combine multiple mediums and technologies to create images with resonance and impact.
John Velten, Dene, @northweststyles
I wanted to include John for his unique positionality around collaboration, displacement, reclamation, and finding your calling. John is a Déne artist mentored by Tahltan artist Alano Edzerza resulting in a unique North West style. John has also been mentored by Rick Adkins, Haida, Phil Gray, Tsm'syen, Klathe Bhi, Squamish Nation/Kwakwaka'wakw, Mia Hunt, Heiltsuk/Cree/Métis, and Morgan Asoyuf, Tsm'syen. Typically formline and family crests are passed down through family lines, and knowledge held within certain styles is passed down through ceremony. John's involvement in the community, his passion, and his mentorship have created a unique style and his positionality as an artist is a valuable conversation around collaboration, reclamation and protocol.
Are there any themes or points of interest you focused on with your artist selection?
Anything you’re particularly excited about?
The main themes I focused on this year is indigenous sovereignty, Afro-Indigenous allyship and Coast Salish visibility. I’m particularly excited about Ocean Hyland’s piece because it is such a strong statement of ancestral sovereignty and is bringing those necessary truths to mainstream media. This is Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh land. Full stop.
What has been a surprise for you (or a recurring theme) curating for this festival?
I’ve actually been really amused that all of my artists so far have used yellow as a main colour. It looks very well coordinated and this happened organically.
Do you have any advice for someone who would want to get into your line of work?
If it doesn't exist, create it. Sit in the teachings of your ancestors, they will never lead you astray. Connect with your elders. Live an ancestral, epic life. Our ancestors and elders do/did incredible things, reclaim that power. Be hyper-critical of the oppressive systems and oppressive mindsets challenging you. Breathe. Connect with your ceremonies. Connect with your people. Leaders create more leaders. Leaders set the tone. Leadership is a verb. It is an action-based way of life. Leaders nourish their families. Challenge your insecurities, challenge your shadows, challenge your families shadows. Breathe healing back into your lineage. Become your own medicine. Walk softly upon this earth, walk loudly into rooms you were never meant to be in. Wear your beaded earrings, wear your eagle feathers, sit proud. Channel your auntie energy. Breathe in joy, breathe out change. Your existence is revolution enough, so when you speak imagine how the mountains will tremble.
