ABOUT MOEDHART
As our name suggests, the foundation of Moedhart lies in choosing from the heart. A seemingly simple philosophy, yet a practice many of us find ourselves far removed from. In an age when intuition is commonly overruled by rational thinking, we believe it takes both courage and a sensory reawakening to connect with ourselves on the deepest of levels. To trust in the wealth of knowledge we already possess. To go with our gut. For us, the indigenous art of Canada’s Northwest Coast is a portal to a world guided by inner wisdom, rich in symbolism that has inspired humankind throughout our existence. While reminding us of stories so primal and universal that we can place them in the context of our own lives.
Our gallery is a space where Native art is central to self-exploration. Within its walls you are encouraged to discover artwork both from the perspective of its creator and in the realm of your personal experience. We invite you to seek out the piece of art that opens both your heart and your world.
Meet the founder
EDWARD TCHAI
“Moedhart is a way of life. Going back to what feels good and having the courage to follow my heart.”
For much of my life I didn’t feel very connected to myself. I spent many years letting my head take the lead and made most of my decisions based on how I thought things should be. Coming from a successful family business, I had grown used to setting the bar higher and higher for myself to do the family name proud – not necessarily a bad thing, but that way of life often left me functioning on pure adrenaline and feeling more robotic than human.
When I first came into contact with the art of the Northwest Coast, it had an intense and powerful effect on me. Everything about it feels real and energetic. The nature, the stories, the wisdom, the craftsmanship; all of it made me want to go back to a more connected way of living. And even though I didn’t know exactly how at first, I knew I wanted it to play an important part in my daily life. So I dug in deeper and have since been privileged to meet many of the people behind the art – all beautiful human beings, abundant in both life experience and in knowledge passed on from generation to generation.
I can honestly say opening Moedhart Gallery was not a rational decision by any means – it came from doing what feels good. For me, it is the start of a new journey in which I am learning to listen to my heart and carve out my own path in life. Maybe that’s why every time I enter our gallery space it feels like coming home; it’s a very special experience to surround yourself with the beautiful energy every object in here holds. Being here never fails to remind me:
Allow yourself the space to live your own life, listen to your own voice and go at your own pace.
I look forward to meeting you and to you meeting our art,
Edward
Moedhart Logo
In March 2019, we travelled to Tofino, Canada. A popular summer tourist destination in the summer. It attracts surfers, hikers and all kinds of nature lovers. For us, the attraction was also the Roy Henry Vickers Gallery.
On our first day in town, we walked through the village and saw an announcement for a storytelling meeting taking place at the gallery the next day. To our great pleasure and surprise, it turned out that Roy himself was the one who was coming to tell his own story. It seemed like a sign. We followed it and returned the next day.
Roy turned out to be an inspiring person for us. He is beautifully close to his emotions. For us, this is also the power in his way of telling stories. His stories are the foundations of his art. You don’t just want to listen, you have to listen. It affects you.
We kept in touch with Roy. So when we decided to open a gallery of our own, it seemed only logical to ask the man who had inspired us to design our logo. Roy understands the intention and meaning of Moedhart and created a design to represent us: the eagle surrounding ancestors.
“The eagle surrounding ancestors. The ancestors communicate to all people in the world. It is the face of a woman and speaks to the family of humankind. We all descend from one matriarchal gene, the ‘Eve Gene’. We speak of our ancestors who call on us to walk in strength, truth, and beauty.”
Roy Henry Vickers, May 2019
For us, the indigenous art of Canada’s Northwest Coast is a portal to a world guided by inner wisdom, rich in symbolism that has inspired humankind throughout our existence. While reminding us of stories so primal and universal that we can place them in the context of our own lives. It’s all about what connects us as human beings and how you can use this to reflect on your own story.
At Moedhart we bring attention to these stories of the world through art.We call it ‘the art that sells the world’.