Exhibition runs: November 26, 2018 to January 18, 2019
Opening Reception: Thursday, December 6, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Our lives come into being through stories. Stories give shape, meaning, and purpose to our existence, showing us who we can be, now and in the future. They help us to discover the limits and possibilities of our humanity, planting deep roots in rich soil.
The Aboriginal Resource Centre (ARC) and Humber Galleries are honoured to feature visual art, dance, photography, beadwork, mixed media, and installations by emerging Indigenous artists. Dbaajimowinan: Our Stories is a dynamic and engagingly fresh take on how the stories we tell— about ourselves, the world and everything in it— are the basis of reality and future experience. Applying a mix of traditional and contemporary concepts, techniques and styles, these artists make and remake themselves, imaginatively and philosophically, with each story. At its heart, Dbaajimowinan: Our Stories invites the audience to join the conversation, exploring not only who we are as individuals, but also what we are inspired to create.
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Dbaajimowinan: Our Stories
Presented by Humber College Aboriginal Resource Centre and Humber Galleries
November 26, 2018 – January 18, 2019
Opening Reception Thursday, December 6th, 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.
North Space Gallery
Hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
North Space Galleries is a fully accessible and barrier free space.
For additional information please contact danica.evering@humber.ca, visit humbergalleries.ca, or find @humbergalleries on social media.
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Artists
Mike Alexander
In 1974, Mike was born in Winnipeg, MB and aodopted out to a non-Native family as part of the Sixties Scoop. Without his language, culture or biological family, Mike grew up in Winnipeg, found music and art as well as drugs and alcohol. It wasn't until at age 41 that Mike found sobriety and began to embrace the artistic birthright left for him by his anscestors.
Since moving to Victoria almost four years ago, Mike has experienced the struggle of self-placement as an emerging artist surrounded by master Pacfic Westcoast carvers and painters that he admires, whose work rightfully dominates the regions of the people the land belongs to. His personal healing journey has awoken a fire within, to explore the meaning of art within the framework of his own culture, to visit stories he has been told and to imagine the world as designed by his own ancestors.
Lyla Buell
Lyla Buell is an Inuit artist born and raised in Ottawa, On. Her interests include a fascination with mathematics, throat singing, creating art of all mediums and networking. She was given a certificate of recognition on behalf the Senate of Canada for her completion of instruction at Ottawa Inuit Childrens’ Centre. Lyla has received training in art from the Ottawa School of Art through programming available to children her age.
Simon Buell
Simon Buell is an exceptionally talented nine-year-old Indigenous artist. He creates everything from abstract art to clay, water, oil and acrylic paints, and oil pastel creations among other things. His interests include Lego, martial arts, any type of art activity and writing among other things.
Christian Chapman
Christian Chapman (b, 1975) is of Anishinabe heritage from Fort William First Nation, Ontario. He creates two dimensional mixed-media artwork that fuses elements of painting, drawing and printmaking. Christian uses storytelling as a main theme in his practice to create his images. The act of storytelling has been an important part of his life: it has informed him of his culture by shaping his identity, personal experiences, and worldview.
Marissa Groulx
Northern born artist Marissa Groulx has always had a passion to design and create. Started from a young age then to becoming apart of Fanshawe Alumni’s Fashion Design. She has continued to further her education in the Fashion Arts & Business at Humber College. Marissa is currently finishing her Bach of Commerce: Fashion Management at Humber College Lakeshore. She’s always craved to learn about her culture and the arts they hone. Marissa eventually self-taught herself to bead and explored other techniques.
Jay Havens
Jay Havens is a multi-disciplinary artist of Haudenosaunee-Mohawk and Scottish-Canadian ancestry. He works throughout Turtle Island as a freelance artist/designer, artist in residence, and educator for production companies, public institutions and schools alike. Jay is most interested in projects which inform his audience’s ideas around Indigeneity and he often works in production design, mural making and installations.
Sundance Kaminawaish
Sundance Kaminawaish is from Sachigo Lake and was born in 1994. Having grown up in a remote community in Northwestern Ontario and spending most of his youth out on the land, his love of the outdoors grew tremendously. Sundance’s interest in photography developed through high school art classes and the urge to share some of beautiful sights of his hometown. This growing interest led him to enrolling in a photography program at Humber College in Toronto. Although unable to complete his studies, the skills and experience he gained from it have helped Sundance find success through his photography.
Emma Petahtegoose
Sage Petahtegoose
Ayanna Proctor
Ayanna Proctor (b. 1993) is a leather artisan, quillworker, ceramist, freelance illustrator, and an enrolled member of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe, Turtle Clan of the Chesapeake region. Her illustrations primarily focus on nature that remains unscathed and undisturbed. A deeply rooted sense of belonging to the wilderness came from hiking and living in New England as well as time spent as a youth traversing the forested Shenandoah Valley.
Lorralene Whiteye
James Wilson
James Wilson is an Indigenous singer/songwriter from the Six Nations of the Grand River. He has performed at many venues and competitions around Canada and the United States. In 2017 had the great opportunity to sing back-up for "Lorde" at the MMVA's (Much Music Video Awards). He is currently recording his first full-length album with producer Jace Martin. The album is set to release in 2019.
Click here for full artist bios and links.
