A 'Namgis artist based in Victoria is has gained support from First Nations leadership on his journey in implementing a new logo for the province of British Columbia.
Jamin Zuroski designed the new logo using the same blue and yellow colours used with the current logo, but the design features an art style regularly used by Kwakwaka’wakw artists.
“I’ve been working hard to find new ways to highlight our ancestors and how we can make them proud of the way we walk in this world today and every day," he noted in a news release. "A great mentor and teacher of mine, Chief Robert Joseph Sr. wrote a beautiful message in his book, which reads, 'In my work on reconciliation, I’ve learnt there are two kinds of people. There are people who have suffered like I did, in the ways I did. And then there are the rest: good, caring people who listen to these stories and want to make things better, make things right.'”
After gaining support from Joseph, a hereditary chief of Gwawaenuk First Nation, Zuroski hopes to begin the process of bringing forward the design to the government, with the hopes of adding culture and community connections through Indigenous art to the B.C. brand.
“I’ve connected with a few government officials about this logo rebrand and it’s implementation, but because there hasn’t been a logo change before, next steps for any design change would require new internal Government conversations and processes. I hope for cultural and community connections regarding this special rebrand. I feel all I can do now is wait," he said in the release.
He said that for 25 years, he's had a desire to add depth to visual and written messaging in workplaces, and he's been hoping to use his art to rebrand something bigger because "when we have a brand that has deep symbolism and purpose, we will feel and be accountable to that cause."