This week, Levi Nelson became the first Lil’wat Nation artist to have a piece in the Audain Art Museum’s permanent collection.
His oil painting, Nations in an Urban Landscape, is only the second contemporary acquisition to be made under the auspices of Curtis Collins, executive director and chief curator of the museum.
“I feel extremely privileged,” Nelson says. “When you look at the collection, all the different Northwest Coast nations that live here at the museum, now they have a piece from the Lil’wat Nation. It’s fitting.”
The painting depicts a crowded Downtown Eastside street with Indigenous masks, baskets, and a box tucked into the scene.
“I came up with this idea of wanting to give identity to First Nations people who are marginalized in the Downtown Eastside, just to showcase that Indigenous people who are down in that area come from really strong cultural background still,” he says.
Collins spotted the piece—which incorporates masks found in the museum’s collection—at the launch for Nelson’s solo show, After the Blast, which took place at the Maury Young Arts Centre last December.
After approval from the acquisition board, and funds donated by the Bruno family, they purchased the painting.
“We have our acquisitions committee meeting four times a year and some things are approved and other things get declined,” Curtis says. “It’s not automatic. I was a little bit nervous because this was such a bold move with a young artist, but I thought it was a worthwhile effort.”
The painting is currently in the museum’s vault with plans to have it on public display.
Pick up Pique on Thursday for more on this story.
