Musicians and artists bring The Tragically Hip’s lyrics to life in Echoes of the Flame
A new series of original artworks directly inspired by, and featuring, lyrics from the Tragically Hip continue to move forward Gord Downie’s legacy of working toward reconciliation with First Nations people across Canada.
A new exhibit, called Echoes of Flame, is on display at Bracebridge Hall in Muskoka, Ont., through August 28 and can be viewed online. All 18 pieces are original pieces of work, created by artists from Canada, the United States and Europe, feature or are inspired by Hip lyrics. More importantly, a portion of proceeds from the sale of all 18 pieces will be donated to the Tsi Tyonnheht Onkwawen:na language and cultural center, located on a Mohawk reservation in Tyendinaga, Ontario.
The funds will be used to build a school there to help students learn their Indigenous language, a practice that was denied and prohibited during the horrors of the residential school era.
The exhibit is in partnership with LA -based Song-Word Art House and the Hip and includes paintings, sculpture and mixed-media pieces, and the artists involved are remarkable in their own right: Among others, Daniel Lanois contributed a piece inspired by “Not Necessary” and Tom Wilson has contributed a piece inspired by “Now The Struggle Has a Name.”
“The artworks curated for Echoes of The Flame have an epic feel to them, incorporating lyrics selected from The Tragically Hip’s vast catalog into the actual pieces, marrying the power of the written word with the beauty of the image,” according to a press release about the exhibit. “The 17x JUNO Award winning band and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees oversaw the artist selection process for the exhibition, ensuring that Canadian artists make up 75% of the roster, including representation from Indigenous creators and French Canadians.”
Not only are the original pieces available for purchase, but there are 150 prints of each piece available for collectors.
The full list of artists and the songs that inspired their piece includes:
Simon Andrew – Bobcaygeon
Michael Barber – Fiddler’s Green
Jeff Bartels – Grace, Too
Brayden Bugazzi – Trickle Down
Rob Croxford – New Orleans Is Sinking
William DeBilzan – Ahead By A Century
Sandrine Dickel – Boots Or Hearts
Filippo Fiumani – Fully Completely
Niki Hare – Blow At High Dough
Peter Horvath – Looking For A Place To Happen
Daniel Hughes – Wheat Kings
Brigitta Kocsis – Ouch
Daniel Lanois – Not Necessary
Kai McCall – Ahead By A Century
Eric Nado – Poets
Dina Roudman – Tired As Fuck
Sylvain Tremblay – Little Bones
Tom Wilson – Now The Struggle Has A Name
More information can be found here.
