Acknowledging the land: Showcasing Indigenous artists, voices and experiences
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Chancellor Rose Patten looks at the new art pieces inside U of T鈥檚 Simcoe Hall (all photos by Polina Teif)
Published: December 12, 2023
A new art installation inside the 狐狸视频鈥檚 Simcoe Hall is shining a spotlight on some of Canada鈥檚 most respected Indigenous artists while giving the community an opportunity to reimagine the concept of public space.
The exhibition, , honours Indigenous continuity, resilience and self-determination. The long-term installation occupies space previously reserved for paintings of U of T leaders who have shaped the university over its 196-year history 鈥 a gesture acknowledging the importance of making space for Indigenous voices and presence.
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said her mother 鈥 a residential school survivor who was born in Apex Hill, Nvt., before being taken away at age six 鈥 was in tears when she learned her daughter鈥檚 work would be featured at the exhibit.
鈥淚t was impactful for her because her life and what happened to Indigenous Peoples has been swept under the rug for so long,鈥 said Takpannie, who was born in Montreal.
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is of Inuk/L鈥檔u/Scottish grassroots activist Ma Myriah Peace. It recognizes Peace鈥檚 frontline work in support of Mi鈥橩maq fishers鈥 rights and pays homage to her role as a determined and dedicated community organizer.
Other artists whose work is featured include: Rebecca Belmore, Catherine Blackburn, Lori Blondeau, Dana Claxton, Caroline Monnet and Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory with Jamie Griffiths.
Under the leadership of the President鈥檚 Office, and through wide-ranging conversations with Indigenous artists, curators, faculty members and staff, the installation was produced by the Art Museum with the generous support of U of T鈥檚 Office of Indigenous Initiatives.
鈥淚t was an honour to support this exhibit and see the reimagining of the walls of Simcoe Hall come to life,鈥 said Shannon Simpson, senior director of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives.
鈥淭his is an incredible example of prioritizing Indigenous space while showcasing Indigenous excellence and resiliency.鈥
Those who wish to view the artwork at Simcoe Hall can . While the Dec. 13 visit is already fully booked, there are visits scheduled for Jan. 10 and Feb. 14 at 3:30 p.m. Those who can鈥檛 make the listed dates can contact Melody Lu, operations assistant at U of T鈥檚 Art Museum () to .
A launch to celebrate the exhibit was recently held inside U of T鈥檚 Governing Council chambers.
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U of T President Meric Gertler said the portraits invite the public to 鈥渉ear voices of courage, resilience and solidarity that for so long have been ignored or silenced.鈥
He added that the installation is among several actions taken by U of T in response to , and will serve as a reminder to the university community that the work of reconciliation is ongoing and must remain a priority.
, executive director and chief curator of the Art Museum at U of T, said the discussions around the role of traditional leadership portraits in public-facing spaces inside Simcoe Hall began years ago, but the 鈥渃lincher came in 2020.鈥
鈥淭here were rising questions about public art and monuments prompted by the Black Lives Matter movement 鈥 why are there permanent monuments which tell of histories that exclude others? It was such an intensive time to rethink public space at every level, and it continues to be vitally important today鈥 said Fischer, who is an associate professor, teaching stream, at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.
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She added that wide-ranging conversations with Indigenous artists, curators, faculty members and staff led to the installation becoming a reality.
鈥淭he voices of Indigenous artists are critical to confronting colonial history and relations with the land; their works attest to the amazing flourishing of Indigenous art and artists all across the country,鈥 she said.
鈥淲e are super proud that the artists agreed to be presented in this context with their works.鈥
Rose Patten, U of T鈥檚 chancellor, said she continues to be in awe of the artwork in the exhibit.
鈥淟et me add my thanks to the artists represented in it and to the staff responsible for all of this,鈥 she told those gathered at the launch. 鈥淵ou have made a very impactful contribution to our academic mission as an institution dedicated to inclusive excellence.鈥
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Blackburn, a multidisciplinary artist and jeweller who spoke at the event alongside Takpannie, said she feels honoured to be featured alongside some of her favourite artists 鈥 but that the installation comes with its challenges.
鈥淚鈥檓 addressing the effects of a settler institution, in a settler institution鈥 she said. 鈥淭o have this work celebrated alongside these powerful women is beautiful, and intense. This exhibition is a powerful intervention bound through love, land, resurgence and relationality, and that is worth celebrating.鈥
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Blackburn鈥檚 artwork, titled 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 no scar? II,鈥 depicts a kneeling figure, with long, braided hair, who faces away from the viewer and wears a cream-coloured, unsmoked deer hide bearing a bruise stitched in iridescent beadwork.
鈥淭he original textile work is two-thread applied beadwork, which is the same technique my grandmother would have used when making her garment work,鈥 Blackburn said, adding that beading inspired her to reconnect with her cultural identity.
Born in Patuanak, Sask., and a member of the English River First Nation, Blackburn鈥檚 work addresses complexities of memory, history and identity connected to her personal narrative.
鈥淚 speak to personal and familial [trauma] rooted in the residential school system,鈥 she said.
鈥淚鈥檓 always aware of the tension within my work, constantly interrogating whose voices are present as to avoid generalization because our cultures are so unique.鈥