The Patullo Bridge art installation, Harvest Moon, honours the Stó꞉lō River (Fraser River), a river system that houses the largest salmon run on the planet. The piece extends  along the massive vertical base of the east-facing pillar. This artwork contextualizes the fact of Coast Salish peoples managing this wild resource. We managed this resource with keen observation of both tidal movements and moon cycles to accurately predict how much salmon would be coming and going, and in which parts of the river. This knowledge was integral for protecting this resource rich cornucopia from raiding parties from far-flung regions up and down the Pacific coast, as evinced in diaries of European traders and treasure seekers in the early days of colonization.

At the top of the east-facing pillar will be the Ancestor’s Eye, a Coast Salish symbol that has been used in art for over 4000 years. Renderings of this eye have been found on rock carvings and paintings throughout the territories. Symbolic of our ancestors watching over us, and gifting to us the keenness to watch over the land, its importance at the top is to tower over and witness all that occurs on the land and water.

     The Harvest Moon represents the knowledge of repeating cycles of different moons of the years and seasons which would guide Coast Salish people in management of the resource of wild salmon coming in from the Pacific Ocean.

This infrastructural art piece has been designed with light design for all types of weather, and to be in showcase for decades to come.