The Gathering Suite 2022

The Gatherings Suite pays tribute to  the artists, activists, and cultures of the DTES community.  In an area frequently characterized by its tragedies, these murals shift that perception, highlighting instead the community’s cultural and activist leaders and their positive contributions. The canvas murals add to the original Gatherings triptych by Richard Tetrault completed in 2016. More than sixty people are represented overall,  including poet/activist Bud Osborn, community organizer Wendy Pedersen, media producer/activist Sid Chow Tan, and community leader/activist Kat Norris. Reflecting Coast Salish imagery throughout these murals is important as a way to visually locate the activities of Heart of the City festival on the ancestral territory of the Coast Salish people, acknowledging this historic ownership.

  Artists: Coast Salish/Nis’ga artist Marissa Nahannee, Coast Salish artist Charlene Johnny, Cree artist Jerry Whitehead and Metis artist Richard Tetrault. Coordination and photo doc. by Esther Rausenberg. 

 Vancouver Moving Theatre, producers of Heart of the City festival,  researched the  material, and Creative Cultural Collaborations coordinated the project. Creative Cultural Collaborations Society (C3) is a Vancouver-based society dedicated to stimulating, developing and executing unique cultural projects and activities.

We acknowledge the generous support of Canada Council for the Arts. 

photo credits: Esther Rausenberg (group),  David Cooper (Marissa), installed and work in progress shots-Richard Tetrault