The Tom Thomson Art Gallery is retiring a prominent Indigenous mural as part of a necessary door replacement project at its facility. The gallery's loading dock door on 2nd Avenue West is being replaced this week, which will result in the removal of the "Miigwetch Animikii Bineeyhnshi" (Thank You Thunderbird Spirit) mural created by artist Nyle Miigizi Johnston.
The striking artwork was originally implemented in 2014 as part of the Canadian Spirit Festival project, a comprehensive cultural initiative that ran from 2013 to 2017. Director and Chief Curator Aidan Ware explained the significance of the festival, stating, "The project and festival actually ran from 2013 to 2017 and it featured things like community gardens and exhibitions, it had performances and classes and talks and films and hands on activities all celebrating Canada."
The festival held special importance as it culminated in 2017, marking both the 100th anniversary of Tom Thomson's death and the 150th anniversary of Canada. Ware noted, "It was quite a special time and the mural really came out of that and it was in celebration of a theme, which was how deep are our roots." The mural was one of several public art projects implemented in 2014, with Ware explaining, "We had Nyle Johnston transform the gallery's loading dock door with a mural."
The artwork depicted the Thunderbird, a powerful figure in Indigenous mythology known for its ability to create thunder by flapping its wings and produce lightning flashing from its eyes. "The mural represents an Indigenous mythological spirit call the Thunderbird, which could create thunder by flapping its wings and lighting flashing in its eyes," Ware described. She emphasized the cultural significance, adding, "It has a deep rooted history within the Indigenous culture and it was really a powerful thing to be able to have that at the gallery."
The decision to retire the mural came due to practical necessity rather than choice, as the gallery needed to replace the door for safety and security reasons. Ware acknowledged the temporary nature of such outdoor artworks, explaining, "When you think about murals, they are very much by their nature, they are ephemeral, they don't last forever and we were lucky to have had this one for so long, but it has deteriorated considerably because they are subject to elements like the weather and also the materials on which they are painted."
Looking toward the future, the gallery is exploring new opportunities for public art and environmental initiatives. The institution has been collaborating with the Pollinate Owen Sound team to establish a pollinator garden on the west side of the building where the door replacement is taking place. "We have been looking at the opportunity perhaps to have a mural on the back side of the building as well," Ware revealed.
The gallery is also preparing for significant upcoming anniversaries that may influence future artistic projects. "When we look ahead at 2027, it's actually 150 years since Tom Thomson was born, it was 100 years since he died, and it is the gallery's 60th anniversary, so there is lots of thoughts about how we might acknowledge those anniversary years and celebrate them and Tom Thomson and art," Ware concluded, suggesting that new commemorative artworks may be in development for these milestone celebrations.
