Figure 1 Publishing

Art + Design / Indigenous Art + Culture

People Among the People

The Public Art of Susan Point

Robert D. Watt. In collaboration with the Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia

Winner of the 2019 City of Vancouver Book Award

Celebrates the public art of one of Canada’s most accomplished artists and designers

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“I feel that it is important to re-establish our Salish footprint upon our lands, to create a visual expression of the link between the past and present that is both accessible and people-friendly. . . . I create unique, ‘original’ artwork that honours both my people and the diverse group of peoples from around the world who have come to live upon our lands on the Northwest Coast. My hope is that my art leaves a lasting impression on visitors, locals, and the surrounding communities.”

—Susan Point

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Book Description

Susan Point’s unique artworks have been credited with almost single-handedly reviving the traditional Coast Salish art style. Once nearly lost to the effects of colonization, the crescents, wedges, and human and animal forms characteristic of traditional Coast Salish art can now be seen around the world—reinvigorated with modern materials and techniques—in her serigraphs and public art installations, as well as in the works of a new generation of artists that she’s inspired.

While the images and symbolism of Point’s work are often informed by surviving traditional Salish works and the Traditional Knowledge of her Musqueam family and elders, she has developed a unique and contemporary style that continues to evolve.

People Among the People beautifully displays the breadth and depth of her public art, from cast bronze faces in Whistler to massive carved cedar portals in Stanley Park to moulded polymer murals in Seattle.

Through interviews and archival access, Robert D. Watt gathers the story of each piece, often in Point’s own words, to illustrate the vital role she has played in revealing and re-establishing the “Salish footprint” in the Pacific Northwest. An artists’ statement by Point and an essay by Dr. Michael Kew complete this portrait of a profoundly moving collection of artworks.

Author

Press

“It is hardly news that Susan Point, a Coast Salish artist of the Musqueam First Nation, has almost single-handedly recovered her people’s graphic and sculptural traditions from obscurity.”

Border Crossings

Creating Coast Salish Imprints-The Public Art of Susan Point with Robert Watt

Preservation Technology Podcast

People Among the People: An Interview with Robert D. Watt

Read Local BC

“Point has long been a critical path breaker.”

The British Columbia Review

Praise

“An engaging read and beautiful to look at, Watt’s People Among the People ensures that Point’s works not only can’t be forgotten but they’re even more readily accessible. Because unlike most art books, Point’s works aren’t presented chronologically — they are grouped by location, making them even easier to find.”

Vancouver Sun

People Among the People is a big, handsome and comprehensive survey of Point’s public art – and again confirms her significance.”

Border Crossings 

BOOK DETAILS

  • Hardcover
  • 10 × 12 inches
  • 248 pages
  • 978-1-77327-042-5
  • $50 CAD / $40 USD
  • May 2019