Carey Newman To Open NIC Artist Talk Series

The first event in North Island College’s Artist Talk lecture series kicks off next Friday.

Carey Newman is a multi-disciplinary Indigenous artist, carver, filmmaker, author, mentor and public speaker, and will kick the series off.

“We are pleased to be welcoming such as esteemed and versatile artist at the forefront of driving positive social change,” said Sara Vipond, NIC Fine Art faculty member.

Newman’s artistic practice highlights Indigenous, social and environmental issues while examining the impacts of colonialism and capitalism by unearthing memory and triggering emotions.

His most influential work may be the Witness Blanket, which consists of items from residential schools, government buildings and churches across Canada that deal with truth and reconciliation.

“There is a power within art and artistic practice to change consciousness, to make people feel things in a different way,” he said in a statement on his website.

The work is now in the collection of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg.

Newman was also selected as the master carver of the Cowichan 2008 Spirit Pole, a journey that saw him travel the province to share the experience of carving a 20-foot totem with over 11,000 people.

His Nov. 22 talk takes place at the Stan Hagen Theatre on the Comox Valley campus. It runs from noon to 1:30 p.m.

The event is free, and everyone is welcome.

For more information about the fine arts program, including the Artist Talk lecture series, visit NIC.