Honouring Ancestors

Coast Salish artist Thomas Cannell created Honouring Ancestors for the brand new UBC Gateway building.

The beautiful base shape alludes to the ancient trees that once stood at this location. The Cor-Ten steel woven motif mirrors a traditional Coast Salish handmade cedar hat. Hovering in the centre of the base houses a champagne-bronze anodized aluminum Coast Salish ancestral face.

Completed in 2025, UBC Gateway is a new, sustainable six-story landmark at the University of British Columbia’s Vancouver main campus. The campus is designed to integrate health, education, and community wellness. Thomas’s sculpture is located at the exterior of the building.