Fairmont Pacific Rim is thrilled to announced the latest solo exhibition at The Pacific Gallery, showcasing new works by Heiltsuk artist Shawn Hunt in partnership with Equinox Gallery. Named ‘Ḱáɫḷá’, which translates as ‘To Dream’ in the Heiltsuk dialect, the exhibition features surreal scenes that reimagine moments from the artist’s life as present-day daydreams infused with Indigenous traditions.

Hunt’s figures, illuminated by moonlight, are suspended between the past, present, and future, allowing for multiple interpretations. His compositions display innovative use of traditional Northwest Coast design principles, with unbroken outlines weaving various patterned motifs into figures. Human and animal creatures, sometimes mythological, are intertwined, representing a constant flux between human and spirit realms. Hunt celebrates traditional design characteristics while adapting his paintings’ subjects to a contemporary context.

Shawn Hunt graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2000 and apprenticed with his father, Bradley Hunt, a prominent Heiltsuk artist, for five years. He later apprenticed with Coast Salish painter Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun from 2012 to 2015. Hunt’s work has been exhibited throughout Canada, including both national and international group exhibitions.

The exhibition will be on display from June 19 to August 15, 2024, on the hotel’s mezzanine level. This exhibition exemplifies the importance of immersing guests in the cultural fabric of the local community and celebrating its heritage, traditions, and cultural experiences.