Artist’s message being undermined

I read with dismay the article The long road to Yuquot Village (SP, May 23), indicating that the Art Gallery of Ontario has decided to change the title of Emily Carr’s painting, “Indian Church,” to “Church of Yuquot Village.”

First of all this strikes me as a terrible violation of the artist’s work. But it also undermines, in my view, the significance of the artist’s message.

I am a passionate supporter of art therapy and have experienced how the naming of one’s creation not only adds meaning to the work but also adds significance to the message conveyed.

When I gaze at this painting I see a small white church with no windows, only a faint partial door frame, no door knob, crosses depicting a graveyard — not the crosses of resurrection.

I see no life there.

But what really stands out for me is the beautiful deep green, verdant, lush, towering forest: the real “Indian Church.” The white church pales in comparison.

So I ask, would changing the title divert the viewer from fully picking up the message of colonization which the painting so aptly displays?

I think so. If the word “Indian,” which in this context is certainly not used in a derogatory way, is to be eliminated from this painting ’s title, is the word “Indian” going to be eliminated from the titles of written works, too — like Thomas King ’s book entitled The Inconvenient Indian? Joyce Tremmel, Saskatoon