North by Northwest
ARTIST STATEMENT: JEFF WILSON
This collection is inspired by my time at the Cassiar Cannery Long Residence, completed Spring 2022.
The residence is jointly organised by the Cannery and the Prince Rupert Arts Council,
and gives artists a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the unique landscape and culture of BC’s North coast. The north coast of BC is a particular part of the world. It displays many of the landscape cultural elements seen elsewhere in the province, but has evolved a particular character and mindset, due to the remoteness from the rest of the province. The north coast economy has long revolved around natural resource exploitation and trade. This has left the area susceptible to changes largely out of the control, of its residents, and resulted in a particular history of boom & bust economics. This exhibition looks at how this boom & bust pattern is expressed in the natural and built legacy unique to this part of BC.
The collection examines a number of themes, particular to, to not restricted to the area:
• Edwardian urban architecture and streetscape
• The continued presence of traditional north coast industries
• The legacy of unsustainable industrial practices;
• The evolution of modern resource-based industries;
• Wildlife adaption to modern patterns of land use.
