Photo: Julie Oliver, Ottawa Citizen
1) Indigenous Arts and Political Activism. A Conversation with Alanis Obomsawin, Raymond Boisjoly and Peter Morin.
Artists: Alanis Obomsawin, Raymond Boisjoly, and Peter Morin
Event: Conversation on Indigenous Arts and Political Activism
Place: Open Space, 510 Fort Street, 2nd floor
Date: Monday, June 15, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.
Admission: By donation
Victoria – Twenty-five years after the event in Kanehsatà:ke – often referred to as the ‘Oka Crisis’ – Indigenous artists are more than ever involved in the cultural, social and political life of this country. With rigour and humour they explore the impact of our collective colonial history and how it affects our current reality. Indigenous artists are active in community-based movements like Idle no More. They are also engaged in reclaiming cultures and activating Indigenous knowledge.
Open Space is delighted to host a conversation with world renowned filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin, 2015 Sobey Award nominee Raymond Boisjoly and 2014 Sobey Award nominee Peter Morin. Using their specific artistic practices as a point of departure, they will engage in a dialogue on the role of the contemporary Indigenous artist as political activist.
Aboriginal Curator in Residence France Trépanier will facilitate this conversation.
About the Artists
Alanis Obomsawin, a member of the Abenaki Nation, is an internationally recognized filmmaker, singer, writer, storyteller and visual artist. Over the last five decades, she has directed 49 documentaries at the National Film Board (NFB). Her films incorporate strong social content, inspired by the desire to let the voices of Indigenous people be heard.
Raymond Boisjoly is an Indigenous artist of Haida and Québécois descent. His work focuses on the representation of aboriginality, language as a cultural practice, and the ways in which these issues are materialized and experienced. His process is situated in proximity to photography, and he is interested in vernacular forms of representation and modes of production of images.
Peter Morin is a Tahltan Nation artist, curator and writer who recently relocated from British Columbia to Brandon, MB where he joined the Visual and Aboriginal Arts Faculty at Brandon University. In both his artistic practice as well as his curatorial work, Morin’s practice-based research investigates the impact between Indigenous cultural-based practices and western settler colonialism.
2) Tahltan Song Cycle
Artist: Peter Morin
Event: Tahltan Song Cycle
Place: Open Space, 510 Fort Street, 2nd floor
Opening reception: Friday, June 19, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.
Exhibition: June 20–July 25, 2015
Performance: Friday, June 19, 2015 at 8:00 p.m.
Admission: By donation
Genre: Interarts
Victoria – Open Space welcomes back Tahltan Nation performance artist Peter Morin to present the Tahltan Song Cycle, a performance and exhibition that examines the power of traditional songs and their eventual repatriation to the land that inspired their creation.
The Tahltan Song Cycle began with an archive of Tahltan Songs, recorded in 1910 and stored at the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa. For the past two years, Morin has been performing and singing these songs around the world as acts of repatriation. Video works, along with other representations, will accompany a new performance of the songs at Open Space. Join us on Friday, June 19, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. for the opening reception of the Tahltan Song Cycle exhibition along with a special performance by Morin at 8:00 p.m.
3) Alanis Obomsawin at Open Space
Artist: Alanis Obomsawin
Event: Community Feast and Screening of Trick or Treaty
Place: Open Space, 510 Fort Street, 2nd floor
Date: Sunday, June 14, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.
Admission: By donation
Genre: New Media
Victoria – World-renowned Abenaki filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin will be visiting Open Space. On June 14, 6:00 p.m., Open Space is inviting you to a community feast followed, at 7:00 p.m., by the free screening of Obomsawin’s latest award-winning documentary Trick or Treaty. This film profiles Indigenous leaders in their quest for justice as they seek to establish dialogue with the Canadian government.
On Monday, June 15 at 5:00 p.m. Alanis Obomsawin will take part in a discussion on Indigenous Arts and Political Activism. This conversation will include Raymond Boisjoly and Peter Morin and will be facilitated by France Trépnanier. Alanis Obomsawin is an internationally recognized filmmaker, singer, writer, storyteller and visual artist. Over the last five decades, she has directed 49 documentaries at the National Film Board (NFB). Her films incorporate strong social content, inspired by the desire to let the voices of Indigenous people be heard. Join us at this community event for food, film and conversation.
For more information:
www.openspace.ca
