Artist Haley Regan worked alongside the BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner and a South Okanagan youth group to design a mural in Keremeos.

Image Credit: BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner

A new mural, co-created by Syilx artist Haley Regan and an Okanagan immigrant youth group, will be unveiled in Keremeos tomorrow, Nov. 17.

The art project named “From Hate to Hope” is the result of a large public inquiry headed by the BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner into the rise of hate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The inquiry led to a 500-page report with 12 recommendations for the provincial government.

“We wanted to ensure that the report doesn't just gather dust on a shelf somewhere,” Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, told iNFOnews.ca. “So, we decided to do a project where we tried to bring this dense piece of work, this report, to life through public art.”

The project consists of four different murals across the province in Vancouver, Fort St. John, Nanaimo and Keremeos.

The Keremeos project is a product of the combined effort of the commissioner, the South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services’ One World Youth Crew and Penticton-based Syilx artist Haley Regan.

Regan told iNFOnews.ca she worked closely with the youth group in coming up with the design. The group, made up with youth from diverse backgrounds, were asked to reflect on their experiences during the pandemic.

“I took everything that they said and everything that they doodled and came up with these designs,” she said. “So basically, I just brought their words to life.”

Regan said the mural consists of four panels and tells the story of a transition from hatred into hope. 

Regan's designs include people from a diverse range of backgrounds and ethnicities.

Image Credit: BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner

Regan, otherwise known by her traditional name syilxwa spu?us, which translates to Big Heart, is a member of the Penticton Indian Band. Her art typically features minimalistic, faceless characters, which she said was fitting for the purpose of this project.

An important part of the mural was the memorialization of Grandma Grace Grey Eyes from the the band, Regan said. When Grandma Grace saw the mural, Regan said her face lit up.

“And that's the exact type of reaction that I want with these panels,” Regan said. “I want people who don't normally get to see people like them in art around this Okanagan region, I want them to look at these panels and say, ‘hey, that person looks like me’, and I want them to feel welcome.”

It was also important for Regan that an Indigenous voice was being included in discussions around diversity and inclusivity.

“For me as a young indigenous emerging artist, I think it was absolutely amazing that I was able to work on this project,” she said. “Often indigenous people get left out of that conversation… so to be a part of this project and to be able to slip in little indigenous pieces into every single panel, that made me feel really good and I hope that inspires other young indigenous artists to say ‘hey we belong at the table, we belong in these discussions and we belong in these panels just like everybody else’.”

The mural will be unveiled at 2 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 17, at 230 7 Avenue in Keremeos, across from the South Similkameen Health Centre. 

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