SEE THE SLOPES THROUGH THE EYES OF ARTISTS
The mountains are for everyone. And this winter, we have collaborated with artists who love the mountains as much as we do to bring this message to the slopes like never before. Together, we’ve transformed gondola cabins at some of our most legendary resorts into one-of-a-kind works of art that celebrate the different ways we all enjoy the snow. This art installation is an invitation and a message of inclusion to all. This is Epic for Everyone.
"The significance of the Thunderbird being on the gondola is that it brings the energy back on the mountain and watching over all of us."
WINGS OF THUNDER is a new piece by Chief Janice George and Willard 'Buddy' Joseph that has transformed one of the cabins on Whistler Blackcomb's PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola into a celebration of the history, art and culture of the Squamish people. A weaving pattern translated into bold and geometric graphic design, the piece tells the story of the Thunderbird, the most powerful being of the Squamish people, and its roosting spot — the iconic Black Tusk peak near Whistler Blackcomb. "It's important for people to understand the stories of this place," Chief Janice says. "It's a story about survival, "Buddy explains, "it's about our First Nations people thriving."
Whistler Blackcomb is grateful to operate on the shared unceded territories of the LilÌ“wat7úl (Lil'wat Nation) and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), who have lived on these lands since time immemorial.
Special thanks to the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Center for their partnership and collaboration in sharing these artists' beautiful stories with the world. Visit the SLCC in Whistler, BC, and at SLCC.ca
"I'm hoping that through my work people are able to see there's a rich indigenous community thriving here."
RED is a new painting by Levi Nelson that brings traditional elements of Northwest Coast and Coast Salish art to Whistler Blackcomb's famous PEAK 2 PEAK gondola. Hailing from the Lil'wat Nation, Levi is an artist whose work explores traditional motifs from Indigenous culture within a Western understanding of art. "To be inside the gondola, looking out through an ovoid or through the Ancestral Eye, maybe you can imagine what it's like to experience my territory and see home through my eyes," Levi says.
Whistler Blackcomb is grateful to operate on the shared unceded territories of the LilÌ“wat7úl (Lil'wat Nation) and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), who have lived on these lands since time immemorial.
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Special thanks to the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Center for their partnership and collaboration in sharing these artists' beautiful stories with the world. Visit the SLCC in Whistler, BC, and at SLCC.ca
"I'm hoping that there's the joy of seeing new faces in the mountain spaces. I hope people have questions. It's an opportunity for conversation."
UPLIFTED is a new painting by Lamont Joseph White, that has transformed cabin #1 on Park City's Quicksilver Gondola into a message of representation and inclusion. "My art represents a goal," he says. "That is the normalization of black and brown faces in ski and mountain spaces. That goal is my inspiration." Starting this winter, the UPLIFTED gondola will boldly ride the lift line that connects Park City to Canyons, welcoming and inspiring conversation among all who visit.
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"Maybe it will be a visual nudge that there are other options, other flavors, other varieties that exist to a broader cross-section of humanity."
CREATING YOUR LINE is a new piece by printmaker Jim Harris, that has turned the sit ski and wheelchair-accessible cabin of Stowe's Mansfield Gondola into an invitation for people of all abilities to create their own lines on the mountain. "For people with disabilities," he says, "there's a lot less opportunity to get out and have a choose-your-own-adventure connection to a place." Since being paralyzed, Jim has pushed toward a remarkable recovery as a walking paraplegic able to ski again while finding new opportunities to be involved in adventure storytelling. With CREATING YOUR LINE giving new visibility to Stowe's accessible gondola cabin, his story continues: "Any way that we can invite some more people in, I think is a positive change."
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Follow along on Instagram to learn more about the artists we've collaborated with and for behind the scenes sneak peeks of how these gondola cabins were wrapped for the season.