The Remai Modern has responded to criticism from a Saskatoon artist about a B.C.-made city map design the museum has been selling in its gift shop.

The Saskatoon art museum last week posted a photograph of a new tea towel design by B.C. company Forest and Waves on its Instagram account.

The black-and-white design shows an aerial view of the city showing the South Saskatchewan River running from top to bottom with local landmarks on either side.

Artist raises concerns

Saskatoon artist Candace Chickowski, who runs an art print business called Chickski Press, said she was shocked when she saw the image because it is similar to one of her own.

Both illustrations are black and white drawings showing a cityscape of Saskatoon with the South Saskatchewan River, and the various bridges, running from top to bottom.

But Chickowski said she is more concerned about the source of the artwork.

"Mostly I'm just upset the Remai outsourced to Vancouver to get them to make an illustration about Saskatoon," she said.

Other social media users expressed disappointment that the city design came from outside Saskatoon.

The Remai responded to Chickowski's concerns by explaining the artist has been doing similar designs of other cities, including Winnipeg and Vancouver, since 2010.

Another design by Ed Juan from Forest and Waves in B.C., created prior to his Saskatoon design. (Remai Modern)

Neither the Remai store or Forest and Waves had seen Chickski Press's designs prior to the Instagram post, said a statement from the museum.

While the Remai acknowledged there were similarities, Forest and Waves artist and owner Ed Juan said he disagrees.

"Personally, I don't see the similarity," Juan said. "The only similarity I see between this specific work of hers and mine is that we did an artist's personal depiction of a map of Saskatoon."

He also doesn't think it's an issue that he's not from Saskatoon.

"I was hired on as a national artist. I'm not from Saskatoon, but I'm not from Vancouver, either; I grew up in Toronto."

Remai says it supports local artists

Remai Modern director of marketing Rachael Kenny defended the museum, saying it actively supports local artists.

She said the tea towel design was accepted as a submission from the B.C. artist, who had previously designed another Saskatchewan-themed tea towel that had been popular with the gift shop's customers.

"We did do a local call for local artisans in 2018 and no local artisans approached us with a Saskatoon design for a tea towel," said Kenny.

"We do love to support local artisans, we want to, but we really need to hear from them."

She invited local artists to contact the museum if they have locally themed work and products.

Kenny said the museum store does stock locally made tea towels but they do not depict Saskatoon.