5. Fusion

Coast Salish
Metal, Red Cedar
51” x 21” x 21”

"Fusion" is the original maquette that was used to create a fourteen-foot-tall public sculpture of the same name situated at Granville and W. 70th Avenue in south Vancouver, a few hundred metres from the ancient settlement of c̓əsnaʔəm. Created by combining red cedar with powder-coated aluminum, "Fusion" stems from the theme of the "People of the Grass" and the "Salmon People," which are uniquely Musqueam.

Carved and painted red cedar in the form of green river grass sprouts from the sculpture's circular cedar base which is carved with traditional Coast Salish trigon motifs. From the base, ten Salmon emerge from a central axis that spreads out in the four sacred directions. Faces emerge from the bodies of six of the Salmon, referencing the human aspect of the artwork, with cattails interconnecting their swimming forms. Nine of the Salmon also have black, inlaid eyes of carved and painted red cedar.

When speaking about the artwork, Point said, "The human element within the salmon has universal appeal that symbolically relates to all peoples. The faces are revealed with traditional Salish elements... giving a sense of place and a landmark that respects past, present, and future. Spawning salmon on their journey up the Fraser River have passed the Musqueam People for thousands of generations. A story this big means they need to be big to be characterized fittingly."