Understanding Place in Culture: Serigraphs and the Transmission of Cultural Knowledge focuses on how Indigenous perspectives of place shape expressions of important cultural knowledge. All of the serigraphs selected from this collection represent or convey a sense of place in some way, either through a direct representation of a physical location; an image that translates a story about a place; or images that connect (through memory, dreams, etc.) to a specific place.

Museums and other educational institutions are often seen as sites of privileged knowledge production, spaces that have often excluded minority perspectives and realities. These artists challenge the hegemonic practices of institutions, by positioning the artist as the ethnographic authority on their cultural expressions and knowledge.

Admission is Free

This exhibition showcases serigraphs by Indigenous artists from the coastal areas of British Columbia, and are part of the Smyth and Rickard Collections of Northwest Coast serigraphs. Seven artists from different Indigenous communities are represented in the exhibition: Francis Dick, Maynard Johnny Jr., Edward Joe, Stan Greene, Floyd Joseph, Tim Paul, and Joe David. Selections of audio ‘soundscapes,’ from interviews with Francis Dick and Maynard Johnny Jr., are accessible to visitors via smart phone; the interviews frame the works within the experience of a specific place.

Admission is Free

The University of Victoria Art Collections, in conjunction with the University of Victoria 50th anniversary celebrations, presents an exhibit of works from the permanent collections spanning the past five decades.

This exhibition, guest curated by former director Martin Segger, celebrates more than five decades of art at the University of Victoria. Segger lead the collection for nearly four decades, and the University of Victoria Art Collections are pleased to have his input and insight for this broad overview of the collections.   

The Collections at 50 demonstrates the breadth of the current collection and its continuous growing nature. Segger’s outlook is a reminder that the collection evolves, both in size and influence, through vision, perseverance, collaboration and professionalism. The educational setting of the university has aided considerably in shaping the collections into something very unique.. The collection has a semiotic relationship with the university: all departments are able to provide further, experiential learning to students, which in turn becomes a catalyst for further growth within the collection.

Admission is free.