MOA: I Use My Haida Eyes: The History Robes of Jut-ke-Nay–Hazel Wilson

PRESS RELEASE

MOA Delves Into Haida Histories Through a Visionary’s Lens with
World Premiere of Epic Collection of 50 Robes in
— I Use My Haida Eyes: The History Robes of
Jut-ke-Nay–Hazel Wilson —

Wilson’s painted and appliquéd robes document specific episodes of Haida history, representing an innovative expansion of traditional Indigenous form

VANCOUVER, BC — The Museum of Anthropology at UBC (MOA) presents the world premiere of I Use My Haida Eyes: The History Robes of Jut-ke-Nay–Hazel Wilson, on display from May 14, 2026–October 12, 2026. Curated by ɬəkʷəlqinəm–Jordan Wilson (no relation to the artist), MOA Curator, Pacific Northwest + Contemporary Indigenous Art, the exhibition features an epic collection of 50 “history robes” by Jut-ke-Nay–Hazel Wilson (1941–2016), a Haida artist who dedicated her life to Haida cultural and artistic work. Over a brief period from 2005 to 2006, Hazel Wilson created this series of robes, which documents specific episodes of Haida history from a Haida perspective–including narratives of her Haida ancestors, settler colonial acts of oppression, as well as Hazel’s memories of her childhood, gathering and harvesting on the Haida Gwaii landscape.

Drawing on the distinctive form and techniques of traditional “button blankets” of the Northwest Coast—robes typically adorned with an individual’s family or clan crests—Hazel Wilson’s works are a radical departure in terms of their representational quality, bringing her practice into the realm of history painting and folk art. The history robes index the innovative ways in which Haida and Indigenous artists continuously expand on traditional forms to speak to a changing world.

“I was filled with wonder when I first encountered Hazel’s series of history robes, as they pull you into Hazel’s world, and are innovative and unexpected in their form. They have an intimate and moving quality, while being far-reaching in their historical depth,” says exhibition curator ɬəkʷəlqinəm–Jordan Wilson. “Twenty years after its creation, this body of work continues to resonate, particularly in depicting a Canadian colonial history whose legacies Indigenous peoples and settlers alike have inherited. The series also portrays the Haida peoples’ deep and ongoing connection to their territory. In bringing together this full series for the first time, this exhibition opens up a larger conversation about Indigenous values and environmental stewardship within our capitalist society’s extractive approach to land and resources.”

While Hazel Wilson’s series of history robes have been displayed in various iterations—and was the focus of a 2022 book Glory and Exile: Haida History Robes of Jut-ke-Nay Hazel Wilson, published by Figure 1 Press and the Haida Gwaii Museum—this is the first time that the entire collection of robes, but one, will be on display at the same time.

Each robe is accompanied by its own text which the artist wrote by hand, imparting the historic episode being portrayed. Narratives range from a “pre-contact” period depicting stories of Haida ancestors, to the first contact with European explorers, to Hazel Wilson’s own childhood experiences in the 1940s and 1950s. Some noteworthy history robes include: Guidance, which portrays the definitive moment where Hazel is informed by her Elders that she will bear the responsibility of carrying forward Haida culture and history through the making of button blankets; The Mistake, depicting the moment of the Haida’s first encounter with European explorers, who brought with them diseases that had devastating impacts; All the Nations Came Together (Putting Away the Magic), where Haida and Indigenous women put away their ‘magic’ for safekeeping from settlers; and Tiiyaan, depicting a tranquil night-time scene of Wilson’s ancestral village.

Hazel Wilson was supported in her practice by her family, including two of her daughters, Dana and Avis Simeon, who helped source materials, scouring thrift stores for the right beads and fabrics. Dana, a button blanket maker, and Avis, a prolific beadworker, are both involved as advisors on this exhibition, and helped inform the exhibition’s representation of their mother.

MOA will celebrate I Use My Haida Eyes: The History Robes of Jut-ke-Nay–Hazel Wilson’s opening night on Thursday, May 14, 2026, from 6pm to 9pm, with free museum admission for all. To learn more about the exhibition, as well as ancillary events, visit moa.ubc.ca

About MOA (moa.ubc.ca)
The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is world-renowned for its collections, research, teaching, public programs and community connections. Its mission is to inspire an understanding of and respect for world arts and cultures. Today, Canada’s largest teaching museum is located in a spectacular Arthur Erickson-designed building overlooking mountains and sea. MOA’s collections consist of more than 50,000 cultural objects and artworks created in Asia, Africa, Oceania, Europe and the Americas — with a focus on the Pacific Northwest. MOA’s Multiversity Galleries: Ways of Knowing provide public access to many of these works. The Audain Gallery and the O’Brian Gallery, MOA’s feature exhibition spaces, showcase travelling exhibitions, as well as those developed in-house.

LISTING INFORMATION	MOA presents I Use My Haida Eyes: The History Robes of Jut-ke-Nay–Hazel Wilson
Dates:	May 14, 2026–October 12, 2026
Address:	Museum of Anthropology University of British Columbia 6393 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC
Website:	moa.ubc.ca