To some, the late Indigenous artist and activist Beau Dick was “almost Christ-like.”“I’d known Beau since 2000 and I immediately thought there was something special about him,” says Fazakas, who owns her own gallery in Vancouver and is a leading expert in Northwest Coast art. They say Dick was also extremely generous, often giving money from sales of his masks to other artists and community members, and putting the spotlight on voices that need to be heard. “I don’t think Beau ever had more than a couple of bucks in his pocket because he constantly gave his money away,” says Fazakas. The film touches on Indigenous history in Canada and how Dick’s masks are an important learning tool in an era of truth and reconciliation. After a hit feature of Dick’s masks at last year’s esteemed Documenta exhibition in Athens, the filmmakers foresee “a fundamental shift” in interest in Indigenous art like his.

Source: thestar March 28, 2018 16:18 UTC