Building Brick Item Number: 3045/1 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

One rectangular reddish brown clay brick with a slight intentional rectangular depression in the top surface. Brick has many chips, as well as splashes of green paint and white accretions.

History Of Use

Brick from the outer wall of the building in Alert Bay ('Yalis) that used to be St. Michael's Residential School. The school was built in 'Yalis in 1894 and operated by the Anglican church from 1929 until the 1960s. In 1973 St. Michaels was turned over to the 'Namgis Nation, however the building is slated for demolition, as it is collapsing and too costly to renovate or maintain.

Narrative

Brick presented to the MOA Director September 19, 2013 at the opening of the exhibition "Speaking to Memory", an exhibition about St. Michael's Residential School in Alert Bay. Artist Beau Dick had collected the fallen brick from the ground and given it to Chief Robert Joseph (director of the Indian Residential School Survivors Society and one of the children who attended St. Michaels Residential School). Joseph then gave it to A. Shelton, at the opening.

Item History

What

Name
Building Brick
Identification Number
3045/1
Type of Item
brick
Material
clay, sand, lime mineral ? and iron oxide pigment ?
Overall
height 9.7 cm, width 21.0 cm, depth 6.0 cm

Who

Culture
Kwakwaka'wakw
Previous Owner
Beau Dick, Chief Robert Joseph and Anthony A. Shelton
Received from
Anthony A. Shelton (Donor)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
British Columbia, Canada
Collected in
'Yalis (Alert Bay), British Columbia, Canada

When

Creation Date
during 1894
Collection Date
during 2013
Ownership Date
before September 19, 2013 and before January 13, 2014
Acquisition Date
on January 13, 2014

Other

Condition
fair
Accession Number
3045/0001