For Austin Aan'yas Harry, art is both inheritance and innovation. He belongs to the Wolf Clan of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation and the Thunderbird Clan of the Namgis Nation. Raised in a family of artists and trained in Coast Salish design by his father, Xwalacktun Rick Harry, Austin is part of a lineage that spans generations. His own practice carries that thread, using digital design to extend traditional forms into new mediums and contexts.

"I use the Coast Salish design language, which is these three simple forms. I use them in complex designs through different modern media," he explains. "It's important to me, because of where I'm living and my connections to the land, that I keep my Coast Salish design background in the forefront."

For Sen̓áḵw's branding, Austin is developing artwork that reflects Vancouver's natural surroundings, including the Two Sisters mountains (the Lions), local animals, and plants. He takes these well-known images and turns them into modern Sḵwx̱wú7mesh illustrations integral to sharing the story of the village. "I started with the landscape because that was the most iconic piece to bring attention to the project," he says. "You see the Sisters and you immediately know you're in Vancouver. And then I explored how the Sen̓áḵw Towers fit in. This gives that contrast between the ancient history of the land and the mountains, and our modern-day history of these beautiful buildings that are going up."

That contrast between history and continuity is at the heart of both Austin's art and Sen̓áḵw itself. Just as he uses 3D modeling and graphic design programs to render ancient Coast Salish forms, the towers introduce a new story into Vancouver's skyline, one where Indigenous presence is visible and enduring.

Austin with his project, ‘Kalkalilh’ at the Banff Centre Artist Residency

"It's so important," Austin reflects. "I remember first hearing about Sen̓áḵw and being excited about the prospect of these iconic megastructures that would be a representation of myself as a modern Indigenous person. Sen̓áḵw will plant the seed of what the city would look like if it shared its foundational DNA with the cultural identity of its first peoples."

Austin's art is a reminder that Coast Salish culture is not history, but continuity, alive in every form and every building at Sen̓áḵw. Here, stories aren't just remembered, they're lived. This is a community where you belong to what's next.

Images courtesy of Austin Harry