Spirit Wrestler Gallery Information

The gallery focuses on exhibitions that showcase contemporary directions in aboriginal art, including cross-cultural communication, the use of new materials (such as glass and metal), and modern interpretations of shamanism, environmental concerns, and other issues pertaining to the changing world. We sincerely believe in the cross-cultural connection between aboriginal artists and have built our reputation on this philosophy. The world is becoming increasingly smaller as artists fly in to attend overseas conferences, cultural gatherings, and artist workshops. Many of these artists are participating in art collaborations or securing international commissions. Artists communicate through their art - bridging frontiers, languages and cultural boundaries. These lines are now becoming blurred as cultures also often share similar techniques, subject matter and designs. On November 1st, the Spirit Wrestler Gallery began a new era with a move from Gastown to the Armoury District, one block outside of the Granville Island Gates. The new gallery is a smaller format and will concentrate on the proven strengths of our history, exhibitions, specific artists exploring personal themes, and the growing need to represent secondary market collections (many of which we assisted in the development). The name of the gallery comes from the book by James Houston of the same name, which tells the story of a young shaman being trained to realize his power in the Canadian Arctic. The name reflects the art of both Inuit and Northwest Coast cultures, which share the animist perspectives of transformation and regeneration inherent in their belief. Founding Curators