Page 85 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Canada

Must See

ARTHUR ERICKSON
Canadian architect
Arthur Erickson
(1924–2009) designed
the MOA in 1976,
inspired by the post-
and-beam architecture
of the Northwest Coast
First Nations. Like
much of Erickson’s
work, which includes
the Vancouver Art
Gallery, the Provincial
Law Courts, and Simon
Fraser University (to
name just a few), the
museum building is
made primarily out
of concrete and is
modernist in style.

Visitors exploring the museum's exhibits,
which include Bill Reid's sumptuous
The Raven and the First Men (right)

Bill Reid Rotunda
The MOA has the world’s largest collection of
works by local Haida artist Bill Reid, including
his famous sculpture The Raven and the First
Men. Carved out of yellow cedar in 1980, it is
a modern interpretation of a Haida creation
myth, depicting the raven trickster trying to extraordinary collection of 16th- to 19th-
coax mankind out into the world from a giant century European ceramics from his native
clamshell. This iconic work was featured on the former Czechoslovakia to Canada, where it
Canadian $20 dollar bill from 2004 to 2012. was eventually donated to the MOA. Now
an award-winning gallery displays some
Koerner European Ceramic Gallery 600 pieces of his unique collection, which
Shortly after WWI, fleeing the expansion of thankfully survived the arduous journey.
Nazi Germany, Walter C. Koerner moved his
Outdoor Haida Houses
and Totem Poles
The MOA has the world's largest Modeled after a 19th-century Haida village are
collection of works by local Haida a Haida House and Mortuary House constructed
artist Bill Reid, including his by Bill Reid and ‘Namgis artist Doug Cranmer.
famous sculpture The Raven A reflecting pool, executed in 2010, adds drama
to the site and is surrounded by memorial and
and the First Men. mortuary poles dating from 1951 to the present.
85

084-085_EW_Canada.indd 85 28/01/2019 14:43