Before “sense of place” became a major design trend in the industry, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) was already dripping with it. Take, for instance, the way YVR has greeted international arrivals for three decades.
When international passengers deplane at British Columbia’s main airport, they pass through an area replete with cultural references to the Musqueam People, upon whose land the airport sits. Permanent artwork includes an oversized spindle whorl (the weighted piece used to maintain momentum when hand-spinning yarn), four monumental weavings made of hand-spun yarn, and a pair of giant Musqueam Welcome Figures.
The spindle whorl and welcome figures were all carved from red cedar by Musqueam artist Susan A. Point. The round spindle whorl includes images of the eagle (a Musqueam symbol of power) and humans with arms raised to welcome visitors and gesture flight. Salmon motifs represent the Musqueam people, who still live and fish along shores of Vancouver. The entire piece is displayed against backdrop of water and stone to reference the local land.
The Musqueam Welcome Figures that stand sentinel at the bottom of the escalators are meaningful from both the front and back. Passengers descending to the Customs area see deeply sculpted forms inspired by Musqueam house posts. The opposite side of the figures is flatter, with designs that echo those on the spindle whorl, plus Point’s updated take on other traditional imagery.
The massive weavings that hang from the ceiling showcase design elements from Musqueam blankets and represent nearly a year’s work by Debra Sparrow, Robyn Sparrow, Krista Point, Gina Grant and Helen Callbreath.
Together, the seven large-scale works are visual examples of how YVR honors the Sustainability and Friendship Agreement it signed with Musqueam in 2017. The document officially recognizes that, being located on Musqueam traditional territory, the airport has a responsibility to work with the Musqueam Community to achieve a sustainable and mutually beneficial future. The 30-year agreement has both cultural and economic implications, including revenue-sharing.
