CMT stands for Culturally Modified Tree, which refers to any tree in the Americas which has been altered or modified by Indigenous people as a part of their traditions. Recently, the presence of these trees on the North West Coast have prevented industrialization and resource extraction. This series of editions consists of driftwood sourced from Musqueam beach that have been modified both by weathering from the land, and cultural processes representing the Urban Indigenous perspective.
Both traditional modes of making, such as hair tufting or carving, adorn the surface of the logs, as well as contemporary mark making such as graffiti or stickers. These CMT’s could be an electrical pole in the downtown core, or could be present out in the forest, re-presenting the land from beneath the concrete and evidencing the experience of Urban native folks in these unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.