Union Gallery is creating space for necessary conversations surrounding truth and reconciliation through Indigenous art.
The third annual Indigenous Art Exhibition, programmed by the Agnes Etherington Art Centre and Queen’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives, is currently running at the Union Gallery from Sept. 23 to Oct. 12. The exhibit features a diverse range of art forms from local Indigenous artists, including Candice Martin, Shannon Beckstead, Jamaica Cass, Chayse Davey, among others. Showcased works include paintings, prints, jewelry, and beaded work.
Davey’s bright acrylics instantly invite engagement with their vibrant teals and yellows, depicting various Indigenous figures including “The Dancer” and “Anishinaabe Christ.”
Taylor Tye, ArtSci ’21 and BEd ’23, an Anishinaabe and Celtic French Canadian from “Kataro’kwi”— the original name of the land we refer to as Kingston—created a lino print titled “We Gather in this Place of Clay.” The piece serves as a love letter and land acknowledgement. Tye wanted to play with traditional Anishinaabemowin language to educate locals and visitors on the Indigenous words and names for the lands that are often overlooked.
“Art is such a great communication tool because it’s open for interpretation. Leaving art in a space to create its own dialogue is such a powerful tool,” Tye said in an interview with The Journal. “It’s one thing to be told how to think, what to say, and how to act, but I don’t think that’s the most effective way of communicating how a relationship should look and take shape. Art has its own role in evoking change, emotion, and thought within a person.”
By creating space for Indigenous art, this exhibition invites a dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous audience , promoting education and connection through art as a human practice.
Tye acknowledges that access to traditional knowledge, especially for urban Indigenous Peoples can be challenging. “Any little piece of learning you can engage with is important, because culture is such a broad thing. Whatever you can onto others is our duty and responsibility,” Tye said.
Carleigh Candice Mignonne Milburn, a PhD candidate at Queen’s and creator of Making Sense of Decolonization: Through Artificial Intelligence, Digital, and Conventional Art Creation which will be showcased at Union Gallery on Oct. 29 to Dec. 14, contributed an acrylic painting of strawberries, flowers, and roots to the current exhibition.
“Strawberries can be related to Indigenous and non-Indigenous people but when you look closer, it’s about showcasing that traditional language was first and then English. [Art] is all about this conversation starter, it’s something that can be easily digested but also shows significant meaning,” Milburn said in an interview with The Journal.
Milburn discusses the idea of reconciliation as a concept that centres around peaceful relationships amongst each other. She believes restoring these relationships can occur through art and visual storytelling.
“To be an artist within this world, it’s our responsibility to make sense of what these truth and reconciliation calls to action may look like and to educate those who potentially may not understand,” Milburn said. “Though, it’s a lot of work and it requires effort from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, I think there’s a part of us that needs to publicly create something for the public to better understand what’s happening.”
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