Dr. Carey Newman

Biography

Carey Newman, traditional name Hayalthkin’geme, is a multi-disciplinary Indigenous artist, master carver, filmmaker, author, and public speaker. He is from the Kwakwak’awakw Kukwekum, Giiksam, and WaWalaby’ie clans of northern Vancouver Island and the Coast Salish Cheam Sto:lo Nation of the upper Fraser Valley. His artistic practice highlights Indigenous and social environmental issues while examining the impacts of colonialism and capitalism. He harnesses the power of material truth to unearth memories and trigger the necessary emotions to drive positive change. Carey's highlights include being selected as a master carver for the 2008 Spirit Pole and traveling around British Columbia to share his carving experiences with over 11,000 people. He completed a major commission entitled “Dancing Wind,” which was installed at the 2010 Olympic Games in Whistler’s Athlete’s Village. He premiered a documentary that he wrote and co-directed at the Vancouver International Film Festival and has published a book. Newman's influential work, the Witness Blanket, is made from items collected from residential schools, government buildings, and churches across Canada, addressing the subject of Truth and Reconciliation, and is part of the collection of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Carey's accolades include being awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2017 and being named to the Order of British Columbia in 2018. He previously served as the Audain Professor of Contemporary Art Practice at the University of Victoria's Visual Arts department.

Research Interests