Large-scale monument to residential school era on view January 26 – March 10
West Vancouver, B.C.— Bear witness at the West Vancouver Memorial Library as they host BC artist Carey Newman/Hayalthkin’geme’s Witness Blanket from January 26 to March 10. The six-week run is jointly funded by the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and the West Vancouver Memorial Library Foundation.
About the Witness Blanket
Inspired by a universal symbol of protection—a woven blanket—the Witness Blanket comprises items collected from residential schools, Survivors, churches, governments, and other cultural sites across Canada. The sheer scale of the piece, consisting of 13 wood panels, is more than eight feet tall and 40 feet long, forcing the viewer to confront the magnitude of the subject matter. The Library will host a cedar-framed replica of the original piece found at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Each of the 889 objects collected for the Witness Blanket tells a personal and harrowing story of loss, strength, resilience, and pride from Survivors. These items include braids of hair, a Métis sash, a weather-beaten shoe, the door to the infirmary of St. Michael’s Residential School in Alert Bay, and objects from across British Columbia, including photographs of young girls in front of St Paul’s School in North Vancouver.
Taren Urquhart, West Vancouver Memorial Library’s Arts and Special Events Programmer, first came across the Witness Blanket in 2021 and knew she wanted to bring it to the Library. She says, “When you see the Witness Blanket, its striking appearance invokes a desire to learn more.”
For artist Carey Newman/Hayalthkin’geme, grief and celebration are woven together throughout the creation of the Witness Blanket. He says, “… it is a testament to the human ability to find something worthwhile, even beautiful, amidst the tragedies, memories, and ruins of the residential school era.”
Experience the exhibit and more, January 26 – March 10
All are welcome to take free, self-guided tours of the Witness Blanket during regular Library hours.
On January 26, the Library will host an opening reception in the evening, with Chepximiya Siyam’ Chief Janice George providing a welcome and blessing to the Witness Blanket while it is on Squamish Nation lands.
Witness Blanket artist Carey Newman will speak at the Library about the piece on February 8 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. More related events include a film screening that shows the making of the Witness Blanket, a tech talk with an internationally recognized Cree Métis stop-motion animation artist Jess Gouchey, an Indigenous author event featuring Katłįà Lafferty, a new Indigenous music lecture series starting February 27, and a concert on March 8 featuring Indigenous performer Diyet and The Love Soldiers.
The Library’s Board Chair, Tracy Wachmann, noted, “As part of the Library’s ongoing action on Truth and Reconciliation, this exhibition and various events allow our community to engage with the tangible legacy of the Residential School era.”
Media contact
Sarah Barton-Bridges, Head of Communications
sbarton-bridges@westvanlibrary.ca
604-925-7407