Remembering Preston Buffalo

The staff in the Aboriginal Gathering Place recognize the life and art of Preston Buffalo, a Two-Spirited Cree student who passed away on June 12, 2024.

Preston was a member of the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Treaty 6 territory. He began his journey at Emily Carr in 2018, a time in which his sister recalls that his art career “exploded to this creative amazement.” Earlier that year he had designed a logo for CBC that honoured both Pride and Indigenous History Month.

In an interview with CBC, he talked about wanting to evolve and modernize Indigenous art and how the impact of colonialism had caused two-spirited voices to be lost. SUM Gallery, where he had recently completed a four-week artist residency, shared how “his overall objective [was] to create visual expressions that encourage new perspectives on Indigenous art, emphasizing its significance in contemporary society and its contribution to an ongoing dialogue.”

An interdisciplinary artist, Preston’s work at times reflected his experience as a community member of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. This included a booklet of infrared photography which highlighted green spaces, focusing on aspects of the neighbourhood often forgotten by those outside of the community. He worked with care to ensure that his work was not exploitative.

Fellow ECU student, Nevada Lynn, shares “It was inspiring to have Preston attending Emily Carr during my time there. His work was always executed with intention and precision, he had a unique and visionary approach to making, and his pieces were always beautiful and thought provoking. I looked up to him for his strength and confidence as an artist and I loved his work. He shone brightly and in his quiet way raised the bar for all of us.”

Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He will be missed.

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CBC Arts. (2018, June 1). Because June is Pride and National Indigenous History Month, we commissioned this radiant new logo. https://www.cbc.ca/arts/because-june-is-pride-and-national-indigenous-history-month-we-commissioned-this-radiant-new-logo-1.4686501

Grauer, P. (2021, June 3). Preston Buffalo is Taking the Power Back. Emily Carr University of Art and Design. https://www.ecuad.ca/news/2021/preston-buffalo-is-taking-the-power-back

Phan Nay, I. (2024, July 3). Vancouver-based artist, hairdresser Preston Buffalo dead at 44. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/preston-buffalo-remembered-1.7252803

SUM Gallery. (n.d.). Artist Residency-Preston Buffalo. https://sumgallery.ca/artist-residency-preston-buffalo/