0:09

good afternoon I’m Jan Alan I’m the director at the agnes Etherington art center I want to welcome you all it’s my

0:17

pleasure to see a good crowd here despite the cold weather horrible spring um this year’s reader-friendly Kaufman

0:25

lecture is welcomes Lee Anne Martin are

0:31

really very happy to have her here I want to begin by acknowledging that Queen’s University sits on the

0:38

traditional territories of the Honda sahni and national bikies this lecture

0:45

series honors reader-friendly Kaufman who was a passionate supporter of the Arts and who believes strongly in the

0:52

value of arts education it’s made possible by the Hoffman family the

0:59

Coughlin family endowment and was created by them I want to extend a

1:04

special welcome to Hana Kaufman who is here with us this afternoon and from

1:09

afar I extend my thanks to the Kaufman family members whose continued interest

1:15

in and support of this project is wonderful dr. Nathan Kaufman is not able

1:21

to be with us here today but he’s out looking forward to a full report each

1:27

year we seek a leading specialist in visual art and culture to present the

1:32

Kaufman lecture and we look for someone who will expand our thinking who will raise questions and inform this year

1:42

were thrilled to welcome lee anne and i’m going to ask dr. norman verano who

1:49

is our indigenous curator of indigenous art of the gallery to introduce Leanne

1:55

Norman is also a professor in the art history program and he joined us just in

2:01

this this past year he’s brought a really important element to our programs

2:06

I also want to thank Pat Sullivan the public programs manager for her work in

2:11

developing this project and I will now invite Norman to introduce Leanne thank

2:18

you

2:24

thank you very much Jan and I want to thank the Kaufman family as well for supporting this project and for coming

2:29

today the art world routinely traffics in in hyperbole right this relentless

2:37

expanding litany of posts breaks ruptures and the like each more urgent

2:43

in the last really desensitizes us to the kind of historical changes and patterns that continue to resonate in

2:49

the present moment and yet even with this caveat I say without the least

2:54

compunction or hesitation that there was a seismic paradigm shift in Canadian

2:59

Museum practice between the years 1988 and 1992 and in this little window of

3:05

time which marks the process the beginning of a process that’s still unfolding we’ve seen the protests and

3:14

intellectual activism around this spirit sings exhibition at the glenbow in Calgary the creation of the task force

3:21

on museums and First Peoples in 1990 and its ensuing publication and recommendations and of course the 1992

3:29

landmark exhibition at the Canadian Museum of Civilization titled indigenous perspectives of indigenous peoples on

3:36

500 years an exhibition that was an indigenous counterpoint to the carefully

3:42

orchestrated official celebrations of the Quinn centenary of Columbus’s landing in the Americas and in these

3:49

four and a half short years some of the most assured assumptions concerning museum anthropology and indigenous art

3:55

in the gallery were interrogated revised and reimagined at the centre of those

4:00

events was our speaker this afternoon Lee Anne Martin a curator cultural

4:05

critic art historian who has been a formidable eloquent and inspiring catalyst of change in the art world and

4:13

one of the most ardent supporters of contemporary indigenous arts and indigenous curating you could ever meet

4:19

not only was she one of the coordinators of the 1990 task force which convened

4:25

discussions across Canada but she was one of the two kyoko curators with Gerald McMaster of indigenous an

4:31

exhibition that remains today one the really touched own exhibitions of

4:38

20th century indigenous art from an indigenous perspective as if that

4:43

weren’t enough to secure her place is one of the most important thinkers of indigenous art museums and curatorial

4:48

practice in the latter 20th and early 21st century LeeAnn has subsequently amassed an impressive record of

4:54

exhibitions that have persistently explored the major themes and advances in indigenous art while providing

5:01

historical and cultural contexts for that art to help bridge understandings across cultural and generational lines

5:07

including the lines between settler and indigenous worlds since the early 1990s

5:13

ms martin has held a variety of curatorial positions across canada including as the head curator of the

5:19

McKenzie art gallery in Regina the Walter Phillips gallery in Banff and until 2012 as curator of contemporary

5:27

canadian aboriginal art at the Canadian Museum of Civilization now history she

5:34

has contributed to the systematic growth of national collections of indigenous art she has created forward-thinking and

5:41

meaningful policies that have had an impact on federal support and promotion of indigenous art and I will say on a

5:47

more personal note as a former colleague with her at the Canadian Museum of Civilization she has mentored generously

5:54

sharing her knowledge and expertise with both indigenous and non-indigenous colleagues for many years she was an

6:01

ethical beacon within the walls of our National Museum drawing national and international attention to Aboriginal

6:08

issues artists and perspectives and we collectively benefited from her work at

6:13

the Museum a small selection of her curatorial projects reveals her breath

6:19

and wide-ranging interests close encounters the next 500 years for plug-in Institute of Contemporary Art

6:25

and Winnipeg 2011 nationally touring exhibition Bob Boyer his life’s work for

6:31

the Mackenzie art gallery 2008 in my lifetime for the Museo Nacional de BOS

6:37

arts to Quebec 2005 Alex Jan Muir his

6:42

first 30 years 1962 1994 the Thunder Bay art gallery mapping our territories 2002

6:48

for the wall Philips gallery um national and international touring exhibitions

6:54

including powwow and art history with Bob Boyer and 2000 exposed the aesthetics of Aboriginal art with Morgan

7:01

would 1999 this is a tremendous legacy of exhibitions and publications that she

7:07

leaves us which I only provide a slight sampling of she’s currently working on a number of projects including a monograph

7:14

on the work of Alex Jan beer and an international exhibition with colleagues in New Zealand today we are privileged

7:21

to hear her speak of her experiences working with two of the world’s most important indigenous artists Alex Jan

7:27

veer and Rebecca belmar it’s with great pleasure and honor that I introduce the Queen’s University 2015 Rida friendly

7:35

coffman speaker ms lee ann martin thank

7:45

Thank You Norman ethical beacon I’m blushing thank you and I’d really like

7:52

to thank the Agnes and all of the staff here particularly Pat Sullivan for arranging everything and also to the

8:00

Kaufman family for supporting this important lecture series which I’m I’m very honored to be a part of it this

8:07

year so I like to begin and it sounding

8:12

about two of my favorite artists and two very important masterworks so to begin

8:24

in 1993 dinnae Celine artist Alex Jan beer completed his commissioned mural

8:31

morning star which is shown here at the Canadian Museum of Civilization now the

8:38

Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau Quebec 20 years later in 2013 Anishinabe

8:47

artists Rebecca bellmore was awarded a commission to create the installation

8:53

trace shown here at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg Manitoba

8:59

unveiled upon the museum’s opening in September 2014 these masterworks one in

9:07

paint and one in clay reveal each artist’s unique intertwining of the past

9:13

the present and the future this talk will discuss the artists intentions for

9:20

their works of public art not only within the discourses of these two

9:25

national museums but also and i would suggest more importantly within the

9:31

context of the sights upon which the museum’s are located

9:42

but before I continue further I must disclose my close relationship with both

9:49

of these artists and with these works I have known Alex Jan beer since 1989 when

9:56

I began a curatorial residency at the Canadian Museum of Civilization that was

10:01

the curatorial residency that resulted in the exhibition indigena that Norman so glowingly described thank you and in

10:10

1993 i curated a retrospective exhibition Alex Jan beer his first 30

10:16

years 1962 1994 the Thunder Bay art gallery that traveled nationally through

10:24

1995 and I should note that Alex just celebrated his 80th birthday on februari

10:30

28 this year and he’s still going strong painting so when Alex assisted by his

10:37

son Dean began painting the dome mural that began became morning star I was

10:44

interim curator of contemporary Canadian Indian art as it was then called at the

10:51

Museum replacing Gerald McMaster who was on an educational leave for two years

10:57

over the next three months I visited the Jan Vere men and was busy with the

11:03

duties as contact Authority for this project and I just want to say you’ll

11:08

notice i’m pronouncing janvi ur Jan beer not janvier as it as you might expect here in the east and close to Quebec and

11:15

that is Alex’s preference and that’s the way his family name has been pronounced

11:20

in northern Alberta for four generations so I respect that although I must say as

11:26

an aside when he was in Ottawa or got no painting the mural for four months he

11:32

conceded that the French speaking people could call him janvier for the time that

11:38

he was there so he wanted to respect their language as well and I have known

11:44

and worked with Rebecca belmar since 1991 when she invited me to participate

11:50

in her national nationally touring community-based performance project speaking to their

11:58

mother and this is an image of the creation of the work it was created in Banff during a residency there in the

12:05

early 90s it was a significant project created in response to the summer 1990

12:13

Khanna’s a doggie Mohawk defense of their land in the town of oka quebec is

12:19

an a project that she traveled across the country to cities and indigenous

12:24

communities and ha invited people to take the megaphone and speak to mother

12:30

earth not about but to the earth I was living in Ottawa at the time and was

12:36

incredibly honored by her invitation and then moved by the subsequent performance

12:42

on the steps of parliament hill since that time we have worked together and

12:50

traveled throughout the world for a number of projects and this is a picture

12:55

of rebecca and myself in venice in 2005 when rebecca represented canada and the

13:02

venice biennale in the spring of 2013

13:08

the Canadian Museum for Human Rights invited proposals from several

13:13

indigenous curators for a commissioned work and i quote intended to be an

13:20

important permanent installation showcasing canadian indigenous knowledge

13:25

with a focus on land treaty rights and related topics immediately upon

13:33

receiving this invitation I contacted Rebecca and we began our brainstorming

13:38

around this proposal which was submitted to the museum selection committee in the

13:44

July and we received the award oktober 2013 and working closely with Rebecca in

13:52

the development of this large-scale ceramic blanket has afforded me the

13:58

unique opportunity to work with her more closely and creatively and conceptually

14:03

in the realize of this installation trace at first

14:10

glance it may seem ironic that museums whose mandates involve both cultural

14:15

history and human rights respectively not art would Commission such important

14:22

works by contemporary Aboriginal artists but let us look a bit closer at their

14:29

mandates at the time this is 25 years

14:34

ago the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian War Museum which

14:40

together comprised the CMC Corporation functioned as centers of collection

14:46

research and public information on the social military and human history of the

14:53

country the corporation’s principal role was to help preserve and promote the

14:59

heritage of Canada for present and future generations thereby contributing

15:05

to the promotion and enhancement of a Canadian identity as a national

15:12

institution the Canadian Museum of Civilization or CMC contributed to the

15:18

creation and dissemination of arguments about history culture place and nation

15:25

within the museum’s ongoing narratives of nationhood and identity works by

15:31

Aboriginal artists accentuated not only the relevance of present-day experiences

15:38

and concerns but also highlighted innovations in contemporary art

15:44

practices and the persistence of Aboriginal cultural values installed

15:50

within these accessible public spaces contemporary Aboriginal art became a

15:57

rich locus of cross-cultural communication individual works in the

16:03

collection of contemporary Aboriginal art were important counterpoints to

16:08

historical representations of first peoples within cmcs core programs of

16:15

research publications collections exhibitions effect of December 12th 2013

16:28

the former Canadian Museum of Civilization restructured as the

16:34

Canadian Museum of History i happen to leave on december 13 2013 its new

16:43

mandate involves the enhancement of canadians knowledge understanding and

16:48

appreciation of events experiences people and object objects that reflect

16:55

and have shaped canada’s history and identity and also to enhance their

17:01

awareness of world history and cultures so we’re contemporary indigenous art

17:10

fits into the new Canadian Museum of History I can’t really say I’m not involved anymore but where many of us

17:17

Norman and I and others are watching them very closely and I just want to

17:23

make a point to and when I speak about Alex John beers Commission as I shortly

17:30

will I will use a Canadian Museum of Civilization or CMC because that was the

17:36

name of the institution when it commissioned Alex to do this work I won’t be referring to it as the Canadian

17:42

Museum of History just to make that clear but the established on March

17:50

thirteenth 2008 by Parliament through amendments to the museum’s Act the

17:56

purpose of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is to explore the subject of

18:01

human rights with special but non exclusive reference to canada in order

18:08

to enhance the public’s understanding of human rights to promote respect for

18:15

others and to encourage reflection and dialogue and quote this is a quote taken

18:21

from the museum’s website the indigenous perspectives gallery which this is a

18:27

a shot of the gallery you can see on your right there’s a slot like structure

18:34

it’s a is called a basket theater it’s a 360 degree film that shows inside that

18:41

was commissioned by some indigenous filmmakers and then to your left our

18:48

installations I guess that look at matey first nations and inuit identities from

18:56

indigenous points of view and way in the back you can see Rebecca’s work so that

19:03

gives you an idea of the context for Rebecca’s work so to quote from the museum’s website the indigenous

19:10

perspectives gallery in which trace is installed demonstrates traditional

19:16

indigenous centered perspectives on rights and their presence and importance

19:22

in contemporary Canada it also reflects the vitality and diversity of indigenous

19:29

peoples across Turtle Island or what is now called North America indigenous

19:35

content according to the museum is also found in each of the museum’s ten core

19:41

galleries although I haven’t received any confirmation that that is in fact the case beyond their mandates the

19:51

location of both museums on the confluence of major rivers is crucial to

19:56

understanding the symbolism inherent in these artworks in his 1930 book the fur

20:05

trade in Canada Canadian historian and political economist Harold Innes argued

20:12

that Canada’s rivers were highways in the early history of the country and I

20:18

would suggest if the rivers were in fact highways their shore lines represent

20:23

transition spaces and sites of encounter for indigenous peoples throughout Canada

20:29

these shorelines where they camped traded shared information amongst many

20:34

other activities for centuries became zones first contact with Europeans CMC this is

20:47

a image of the museum from the other side of the river if you haven’t been

20:52

there it faces Parliament Hill in the parliament building so this is actually taken from the Ottawa side of the Ottawa

20:59

River looking at the museum so CMC was

21:05

built on the shoreline of the Ottawa River in Gatineau across from Parliament

21:10

Hill and in very close proximity to the confluence of the gatineau and rito

21:16

rivers although many diverse First Nations travel down these three rivers

21:22

to meet trade and exchange information beginning some 4,500 years ago the lands

21:29

touching the river have most Benes closely been associated to the Algonquin

21:35

people known as the adamo or people of the trade the Ottawa River is still

21:41

known to contemporary sorry contemporary Algonquin as the kitchen sipi River

21:49

archaeological discoveries made in the area immediately in and around the area

21:54

speak eloquently of an extensive continent scale web of communications

22:01

and trade for the past six millennia furthermore archaeological evidence

22:07

suggests that this site appears to be to have been chosen for the burial of

22:13

generations of people beginning over 4,000 years ago people return to this

22:19

location for this very spiritually and symbolically charged purpose site same

22:28

site we’re looking at now was also the beginning of a major portage which was upstream around a nearby place of great

22:36

spiritual significance and power the show d air falls just downstream from

22:42

the museum was a summer gathering place with a wealth of food and lithic

22:47

resources at the delta at the mouth of the gatineau river the Anishinaabe name for this area at

22:58

the gatineau River Commission on which translates as summer gathering place was

23:03

indeed an attractive location for groups together for millennia before the arrival of Europeans in eastern North

23:11

America the French were the first Europeans who arrived here in the early 17th century and sometime later the

23:18

English arrived and then ensued much conflict over the inland trade routes

23:24

between these two rivals and their indigenous allies CMC was the first

23:33

national museum to acquire contemporary Indian art beginning in the early 1970s

23:40

under the enlightened vision of dr. William Taylor who was coincidentally

23:46

and rather ironically an Arctic archaeologist but he was also director of the museum from nineteen sixty eight

23:52

to nineteen eighty-two he was very visionary and that he saw in the early

23:57

70s that contemporary indigenous art was had a maturity and a presence that

24:02

wasn’t being recognized and so he took very proactive measures to begin

24:08

collecting this work the national collection of contemporary Aboriginal

24:14

formerly Indian art had its period of greatest development throughout his time

24:20

during the 1970s and into the early 1980s under the director of direction of

24:28

dr. Taylor and subsequently Robert who’ll who was hired as the first

24:33

curator of contemporary Indian art in 1978 CMC then the National Museum of Man

24:42

as it was called purchased large collections and commissioned several major works early commissioned works

24:50

included the landmark mural by Daphne Oh jig the Indian in transition and a suite

24:56

of four paintings by Jan Vere titled the seasons

25:02

the concept for Alex’s mural morningstar was first discussed in a conversation

25:08

amongst Jan Vere the architect Douglas Cardinal and the then director dr.

25:14

George MacDonald at the opening of the new CMC in June 1989 although retired as

25:23

director for some years dr. William Taylor was again instrumental in finding

25:28

sponsors for this project who were dr. and mrs. Ralph Halbert of Toronto who

25:34

are philanthropists and collectors of Contemporary Art a professional artist

25:42

since the mid-1960s Jan bear had already created many large-scale murals in

25:48

Western Canada when he began this mural which was his largest to date and

25:54

continues to be his largest to date the artist worked at arm’s length from the

25:59

surface on geodesic scaffolding erected inside the 418 square meter or 4500

26:08

square foot dome that reaches a height of 20 7.5 meters or seven stories

26:15

morning star appears to float above the suspended staircase rising from the

26:22

river salon at the end of the Grand Hall visitors can appreciate spectacular

26:28

views of the Ottawa River and beyond to the Canadian Parliament Buildings from

26:33

ground level and as they climb the stairs towards a mural the integration

26:38

of these external natural and built environments with Jan beers artwork were

26:44

fundamental to the design intention of the museum’s architect Douglas Cardinal

26:51

prior to the first brushstroke being applied to the dome the sealing surface

26:56

had to be prepared taking a full month preparation entailed washing the surface

27:03

applying a sealer and then coating it with gesso and then progressive coats of

27:08

sealer and white primer nine times knowing coats were applied until the surface was suitable for the artists to

27:15

begin painting after Morningstar was completed a code of UV rated sealer was

27:22

applied over the entire painting and finally a matte finish was applied to

27:28

eliminate glare and before i get into talk about the the work in more detail

27:34

i’d like you to show you a few work in progress shots from that memorable summer of nineteen ninety three with

27:41

alex jane mayer and his son dean so there they are you can see the scaffolding and you can see how much of

27:48

a strain it would put on the artists body i had to buy eyelets a pair of happy knees because he was sort of

27:54

crawling around on that would scaffolding on his sore knees there he

27:59

is as dean dean helped in applying

28:09

masking tape and filling in some of the designs and some of the you know the more rudimentary parts of the mural

28:21

there he is it was hot up there bring fans it was all through the summer jan

28:32

Brewer explains that morning star references the importance of the brilliant star that was the guiding

28:38

light for generations of his ancestors as they hunted and trapped throughout

28:43

winter the central white circle represents the morning star which for

28:49

the artists embodies the source of all creation sense of movement and a Power

28:55

greater than ourselves Jan beers Morningstar signals a direction toward

29:01

mutual respect in relations between Aboriginal peoples and euro Canadians

29:08

the geometric lines of color rating out radiating out from the center is similar

29:15

to the porcupine quill work traditionally used by the den a on clothing and other objects and forge NVR

29:23

these lines represent the numerous indigenous nations each is

29:28

a separate color yet when viewed together they have the appearance of unity that ring representing indigenous

29:38

indigenous value systems is juxtaposed with a ring of more organic forms you

29:44

can see just around the outside more organic forms representing the

29:51

appearance of European ideas and beliefs and the subsequent tensions and

29:56

struggles between these worldviews read in a counterclockwise fashion four

30:04

quadrants of vivid abstractions depict the history Jan bears history of the

30:11

past 500 years from invasion through healing beginning with the yellow

30:17

quadrant according to the artist perhaps a bit romantically a balance of color

30:24

and shape evokes a time when indigenous peoples enjoyed an abundance of

30:29

equilibrium with nature with the Creator and with each other as we near the last

30:36

part of this quadrant the arrival of Columbus is represented by the

30:41

abstracted sale forms as we know the

30:47

subsequent arrival of Europeans and the ensuing encroachment of colonization and

30:53

Christianity changed this continent forever small fears within each quadrant

31:00

encapsulate notions of essential truths for Jan we’re here in the first sphere

31:07

Jan beers narrative proposes that despite the devastation which the

31:13

European newcomers imposed on Aboriginal people throughout North America small

31:19

community groups preserved their languages and their spiritual practices the blue section signals the years of

31:27

loss of land culture religion family and language here Jan vir suggests that with

31:36

the increasing Christianization that indigenous people experience and

31:42

the more they accepted under duress European systems here symbolized by

31:48

organic flowing designs the less they produced the more culturally specific

31:55

geometric designs less complex than the previous circle this element symbolizes

32:03

the imposition of European beliefs and practices on Aboriginal cultures in

32:08

which the prongs actually pierce and obliterate the underlying image

32:14

representing indigenous values and history and according to Jan Vere this

32:22

black dot midway through the quadrant represents the traditional people in

32:28

Aboriginal communities throughout the continent who were branded bad medicine

32:34

people by the European missionaries the

32:40

red quadrant depicts a time of revival and a new optimism which Jan Vere calls

32:46

the time of change over struggle and disenchantment give way to a new

32:52

determination and renewal on the part of indigenous peoples to regain agency over

32:58

their futures the underlying red color in this small circle in the red quadrant

33:04

represents the strengthening of Aboriginal beliefs and traditions hidden

33:11

from the view of the visitor seven stories below Jan veers representation

33:16

of the city is a metaphor for the many Aboriginal people who left their own

33:22

home communities for urban opportunities offered under the government’s former

33:27

integration policies only to find themselves abandoned lonely and

33:32

forgotten in the foreign urban environment painted white the last

33:41

quadrant is linked to the white center of morningstar portraying now time

33:47

now a time of healing renewed self-respect reconciliation and

33:52

restructuring a return to a balance the circle in the white quadrant symbolizes

33:59

a return to traditional practices by many Aboriginal people today and is the

34:04

gateway to spiritual revival these sweat

34:10

lodge forms represent the revitalization of customary spiritual practices

34:15

throughout North America today a very very significant yet often overlooked

34:23

element in the latter part of this quadrant is this narrow white brush stroke and you see it goes over the blue

34:31

line painted blue line with its subtle

34:36

curve shape and diminutive scale for Jan Vere this tiny stroke represents a

34:43

tentative yet hopeful path for our shared future on this continent it

34:49

effectively links this quadrant depicting the time of reconciliation to

34:55

the organic forms symbolizing European ideas in and beliefs in his narrative

35:03

Jan beers suggests a shared future in which diverse world views will coexist

35:09

in an environment defined by healing and mutual respect now before before turning

35:16

to Rebecca’s work in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights I’d like to liven

35:27

things up a little I guess today is Rebecca Bell Moore’s birthday yay and

35:32

she when talking to her about this talk today all is my birthday I dare you to get the audience to sing happy

35:38

birthday to me so do you want to take up the dare this is it’s recorded and we’ll

35:44

just sing a couple of lines from happy birthday to Rebecca is that sound okay okay I’m going to start you have time

35:50

going to go one two three and we all have to start together because I don’t you don’t want to hear my voice on my own

35:55

so okay here we go one two three happy

36:00

birthday to you happy birthday to you

36:06

happy birthday dear Rebecca happy

36:13

birthday to you thank you so much you

36:22

really got into the spirit of it so yeah we were talking about trying to get her on skype or something but she’s

36:28

traveling right now so she’s not available but thank you she will see this so turning to Winnipeg let’s turn

36:37

to Winnipeg the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is located on a site now

36:43

known as the forks at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers this

36:50

ancient geographical area holds a long legacy of council meetings peacemaking

36:58

alliance building trade and intermarriage among numerous First

37:03

Nations archaeological evidence provides a rich record of Aboriginal occupation

37:10

from about 6,000 years ago up to the time of the fur trade when nakoda Cree

37:16

Anishinaabe and Dakota met at the site more than half a million objects on

37:22

earth from the land tell the story of this place like the rivers in

37:28

ottawa-gatineau these waterways continued to provide important travel

37:34

routes for subsequent fur traders just as they had done for thousands of years of extensive Aboriginal travel and trade

37:42

networks and this I tried to get an image of the museum from the river but

37:49

was unsuccessful museum didn’t have what i wanted so this is if you look just

37:55

off-screen to your right imagine the river there that’s it is right on the river museum stands on the territory of

38:04

treaty one canada’s first post Confederation treaty signed in 1871 by members of the Cree

38:12

and so Toa jablay Nations and Queen Victoria this treaty granted the

38:18

government large tracts of land throughout the new province of Manitoba in order to build a railroad and

38:25

continue their efforts of westward expansion First Nations people of course

38:31

received much smaller tracts of land that began the Reserve System in Western

38:38

Canada Rebecca Bell Moore’s reputation across Canada and internationally has

38:45

been earned with performances and installation installations that reveal

38:50

sensitivities to history and place memory and absence experienced by

38:57

indigenous peoples throughout North America and throughout the world at the

39:02

Canadian Museum for Human Rights Bell Moors trace honors the memories of the

39:08

original inhabitants of the land upon which the museum stands installed and

39:16

it’s approximately 40 feet high by about 20 feet wide its shape resembles a large

39:22

scale blanket robe or a shawl casually hanging from a hook which belmar meant

39:29

to enhance the organic quality of the work as a metaphor for the earth itself

39:36

bellmore chose raw clay to acknowledge the depth of indigenous history a time

39:43

before treaties the land at the forks bears evidence of over 6,000 years of

39:49

indigenous presence 500,000 artifacts were excavated from the ground beneath

39:56

the museum when construction began including thousands of ceramic shards

40:01

and 200 fire pits the sheer volume and removal of these traces of the original

40:09

inhabitants immediately informed the conceptual basis for the artwork at the

40:16

onset of the museum’s construction First Nations elders bless the site

40:21

by placing medicine bags into holes drilled deep into the earth thereby

40:27

becoming the physical and symbolic foundation for for the building itself

40:33

yet left unseen as ceremony this offering of Medicine acknowledges the

40:41

earth as action it acknowledges the depth of Aboriginal history and replaces

40:47

the memory that was removed from the ground Mel more was inspired by this

40:53

location as a meeting place for thousands of years by inviting others to

40:58

assist her in shaping the clay beads she intended that this collective action

41:04

would help in acknowledging the long history of people using this place long

41:10

before treaties and long before our contemporary life the act of creating

41:17

the beads involves that quote Rebecca oppressing this clay this land and at

41:24

the same time thinking about the future the people who helped create this

41:29

blanket or sculpture will leave their trace for those yet to come end of quote

41:35

the use of clay the earth itself imbues the artwork with a sense of timelessness

41:42

the modest gesture of forming these beads reminds us of the precious and

41:48

universal bond between humans and the earth at the press conference but this

41:57

is an image from the press conference to announce the commission of this work in Winnipeg and also to announce the

42:04

community collaborative process in january 2014 then president and CEO

42:10

stuart marie shown here with rebecca stated and i quote it is significant

42:17

that Bell Mars were will be displayed in the indigenous perspectives gallery because we have much to learn about

42:24

human rights from indigenous peoples in Canada end of that quote in concluding

42:30

he promised that the museum will not look away to which belmar responded and i quote

42:37

trace for me is about not looking away it is also about looking back it’s also

42:45

about right now right now trace is about you your trace it’s about my tres tres

42:53

is about all of us all of us who live here in Winnipeg all of those who lived

42:59

here before and who are yet to come end of her quote and in a deliberate

43:06

strategy to engage Winnipeg’s a large Aboriginal community belmar set up a

43:13

temporary studio and workshop in the aboriginal owned nicci commons for two

43:19

months in early 2014 that’s not a very

43:24

good image but that’s Nietzsche Commons I sorry I couldn’t this is just taken

43:31

from their website I couldn’t I couldn’t get a good photograph in time but this

43:36

was open in the previous year in 2013 and Nietzsche Commons is a community

43:42

business complex in Winnipeg’s north end that includes a full range neighborhood

43:48

supermarket produce courtyard restaurant bakery cater catering service specialty

43:54

foods Aboriginal books arts crafts music and clothing and a seasonal farmers market it’s just a bustling place for

44:01

the community it was intentionally developed in this part of the city to foster neighborhood revitalization and

44:09

to provide economic opportunities for Aboriginal youth and other area

44:14

residents and in its februari second issue focusing on racism in Winnipeg

44:21

Maclean’s noted that the north end is the poorest and most violent

44:27

neighborhood in urban Canada many white winnipeggers have never visited during

44:34

the two months in winter 2014 the opportunity to work with Rebecca in the

44:41

creation of this piece drew many white winnipeggers who admitted to never

44:47

having visited the north end before and I just

44:53

note here the the workshops went on for two months it was on a drop-in basis it

44:59

was through social media Rebecca had a trace Facebook page the museum and so

45:06

there was some coverage of it in the local newspaper and also some schools

45:15

brought students to the older older kids we found early on that to the strength

45:23

needed to press the clay beads just wasn’t there with very small children so they came and they did it but those

45:30

beads were never used I mean they it took them an hour to get their little hands around the clay it was it was it

45:38

was great yet painful to watch knowing that they wouldn’t be used so but the

45:43

students from about grade seven up were were actively involved and I have a number of of images of that so um with

45:53

the assistance of Osvaldo yarrow who is Rebecca’s partner business and life

46:00

partner and an assistant Theo Palmas belmar installed some tables and chairs

46:06

as well as a sink for washing off the residual clay from helping hands and

46:13

here’s an image of rebecca sometimes depending upon the group she would give

46:18

a brief overview of her practice and her hopes for the work referring to the

46:23

maquette that hung on the wall in the studio this was a macat that she she

46:28

made in her proposal to the museum the human trace the hands of generations

46:36

past and those that will come is inherent to the artwork the hand pressed

46:42

clay shards or beads carry the individual hand imprints of the many

46:48

cross-generational and cross-cultural individuals who collaborated in the

46:53

realization of this work here’s just a few and there were very many

47:00

on weekends families would come and it was it was quite a beehive of activity

47:05

and a cat running out of clay and having to get her assistants to bring more clay in and yeah so it was it was exciting

47:13

frequently Bell Moors works involve intense and repetitive gestures

47:18

meticulous and exhausting with close attention to the materiality of selected

47:24

elements for trace the simple but laborious handmade process invokes the

47:31

idea that we as humans have been creating material culture since the

47:37

beginning of our time and hopefully will continue to do so for some time into the

47:43

future although rebecca has collaborated with numerous artists and technicians

47:48

throughout her extensive practice this marked the first first time that she

47:54

worked closely with individuals from the local communities for her this process

48:00

that created community and a sense of shared purpose was as important as the

48:06

finished piece in reality many communities work together side by side

48:13

to create the thousands of hand press clay beads that would form this unique

48:20

work in just few so you can see you get

48:26

on one side you get the the fingerprints the prints your finger on the other side you get the palm print of the the person

48:32

who created it just another photograph

48:42

bellmore appreciated the organic nature of the process whereby people dropped in

48:47

and participated by making a couple or several beads all the pieces carry the

48:54

print of someone’s hand so the inside of everyone’s hand will be cast in the land

48:59

itself bellmore likes the double register of this tactility the hand

49:06

forms the clay bead which then retains the trace of the hand she notes that and

49:12

these are all quotes from Rebecca trace exists between the individual and the

49:18

community what it pulls together is the idea that we are a people we all belong

49:24

to a shared community strangers come together and we sit around the table

49:29

having conversations and we laugh there’s something lovely about that the beauty of the piece is that it goes

49:36

beyond indigenous people it is about all the people who came to live in this

49:42

place the idea of the layers of habitation on this land from 6,000 years

49:49

ago to today’s sprawling urban population of 775,000 in the winnipeg

49:56

metropolitan area according to the 2013 census inspired bal moore’s decision to

50:04

use the ubicate ubiquitous gumbo clay dug from various locations around

50:09

winnipeg and poetic as it may have been the clay is not sourced from underneath

50:15

the museum but Rebecca had connections with a construction company and they were digging up and installing sewer

50:23

pipes and so when they drilled out the core of clay they would bring it over to

50:29

the museum for Rebekah or her studio for her to use and over 15,000 hand press

50:38

beads were created although the artist notes that the exact number is not important the collaborative community

50:45

process embodies the meaning and the intent of the work the hand press beads

50:51

were then fired over a period of a couple weeks at the banff centre

50:57

and then here they are fired they take on a different color they were also fired at the University of Manitoba then

51:06

they were strung on metal aircraft cable and woven together into the blanket like

51:13

shape here a couple of details you can see the cable this is taken from the top

51:19

it’s the in some installation shot another one and we were talking earlier

51:26

about the height of Rebecca’s piece it is installed quite high on the wall and

51:31

that was Rebecca’s decision she wanted it high so that it would have this long

51:36

organic sort of blanket form falling down almost the entire height of the

51:43

wall and there’s just a close-up detail of some of the the beads that are strong

51:50

important also to Rebecca is the elemental nature of trace its many hours

51:57

of voluntary labor and the cost free earth sourced materials resulting in a

52:03

piece that will last over generations as a snapshot of 2014 Bell Moore’s

52:10

installation thrusts us into a very real non digital space rather than staring

52:16

into our phones or tablets ears plugged eyes glued blocked off from human

52:22

contact trace shifts are focused to the act of creating art through the imprints

52:27

of the many people who work together Bell Mars use of the blanket motif in

52:33

past works has integrated a critical awareness Ovenden justices done to First

52:40

Nations people from the distribution of smallpox infested blankets to North

52:46

America festive Lanka’s given to North America’s indigenous peoples to the

52:52

colonial legacy of items like the Hudson’s Bay Company blanket with this

52:58

particular blanket bellmore says she hopes to capture and speak to a variety

53:04

of complex phenomenon

53:09

to quote the artist what I’m hoping is that the work I’m making will somehow

53:16

make sense further down the road I’m hoping it will stand the test of time and somehow acknowledge the land the

53:24

museum sits upon and the city itself I think it’s really about some kind of

53:30

acknowledgement of each other an acknowledgement that all of us have to live someplace and that is very

53:37

complicated in the world we live in today end of quote installed in the

53:43

indigenous perspectives gallery trace honors not only those who have gone before but also those who have yet to

53:51

come and I know I’ve said that a lot and but that’s that’s the central essence of this piece if people don’t get anything

53:58

else from it than that that’s the important message so in conclusion then

54:05

I really feel that both bellmore and Jan veer embody a sense of timelessness in

54:11

these masterworks reaching back to the ancient while at the same time acknowledging historical and

54:19

contemporary realities and invoke invoking significant visions for our

54:24

futures each work minds the historical depths of their locales that were known

54:30

and used by indigenous peoples for millennia the sites must have been named

54:37

and stories related to them and their uses would have been very well developed

54:42

people return to these places for generations they were imbued with

54:48

history meaning and memory as symbolic reconciliations with communities with

54:55

water and with the land the artists seek to commemorate both the history of

55:00

indigenous peoples and the future of all peoples on this land on these sites of

55:07

such profound history and memory el Mar and Jenn Vere create powerful visions

55:13

for inclusive futures that’s it thank you

55:23

I want to thank you very much Leanne for

55:33

that wonderful and engaging talk and we do have some time for some questions and

55:39

I do have one announcement to make at the end we’re all invited to a reception at the agnes immediately following this

55:48

if people have questions I invite you to I have some questions myself but I

55:55

invite you to comfort a microphone or more simply raise your hands and

56:04

yes

56:13

Thank You Man you spoke very eloquently about the way these works speak to the

56:19

past in the future i’m also very curious and especially i think in the case of

56:25

Rebecca Bell Mars peace because it’s a new museum that’s still I think coming

56:30

into its reality in the consciousness of the nation of what it is and it’s not a place I visited myself I wanted to

56:38

invite you to speak about how that an incredible installation speaks to the

56:44

spaces within which it situated and other displays there do they reinforce

56:53

the narrative that you’ve talked about in the work of art well Jan I have to

57:03

say that I’ll answer that as best I can I did not I have not yet seen the work

57:12

completed and installed and but from what I can see that the whole the

57:19

premise for the indigenous perspectives gallery was what Rebecca was talking

57:25

about looking at the past and looking at the past and contemporary but not so much as I understand it from the

57:32

preliminary designs and plans for the content did it talk so much about the

57:38

future I know that the museum plan on having various didactics or interactive

57:46

station whoops I’m sorry stations around that area but I don’t know and one of

57:54

the concerns and maybe you saw it and gathered that yourself about the

58:00

installation of this work was the fact that it seemed to be squeezed into a wall behind that basket theatre and we

58:08

knew that going into it and it’s one of the reasons that Rebecca wanted to

58:14

emphasize the height so that people could look up it you know it wouldn’t just be at eye level but I am as much as

58:21

I know Rebecca’s and I say I don’t know because I haven’t been to see the museum

58:28

since it opened I never did see the work installed and but as far as I know

58:38

Rebecca’s work spoke to the future and to sort of time in memorial and sort of

58:44

that time span that she was talking about was very extensive compared to

58:51

some of the other installations that’s really vague but that was just all I can

58:56

say as my understanding of what was planned i don’t know maybe there’s someone here who’s been there who could

59:02

answer that better than I Dillon no I’m

59:12

putting you on the spot

59:20

these two pieces strike me is being very optimistic that while not negating some

59:27

of the unfortunate history that has happened they see more us optimistic

59:34

than a lot of recent indigenous art that I’ve seen and I’m wondering if you can tell me whether you think this is

59:41

perhaps a new trend where people are the indigenous community the indigenous

59:49

artists are trying to build a future as opposed to perhaps bringing forward the

59:56

past no that’s that’s a valid

1:00:01

observation both these works do address the future and talk about you know inclusive futures and and I wouldn’t

1:00:08

want to make a generalization that they necessarily represent what many

1:00:15

indigenous artists are doing certainly certainly there are many many artists

1:00:20

who are looking more positively for solutions others are bringing the past

1:00:28

forward and looking at the future I I I wouldn’t say that this is necessarily a

1:00:33

train you have to understand that there’s you know 30 years between these

1:00:39

two works and I think that both of the

1:00:44

artists were looking at the placement of these works within very prominent and

1:00:51

well attended national museums and wanting to bring some sort of education

1:00:57

to the visitors to the museum about the past but wanting to suggest to the

1:01:05

visitors that there is there is hope if people will be open and respectful and I

1:01:11

think that that had a lot to do with the placement and the Commission within these two national museums really rather

1:01:19

than more of a trend as to what’s happening in indigenous art

1:01:26

I have a question myself if anyone if I

1:01:31

may I wanted to ask you because you’re a curator and you’ve been a curator of

1:01:38

sort of museums with collections but also curating exhibitions that are not

1:01:44

sort of collection based exhibition so you’ve had a really great experience diverse experience as a curator also has

1:01:51

an indigenous curator too there’s a sort of coming together in these projects of

1:01:58

sort of the art artist not not art but practicing artists museums of history or

1:02:07

social history and curators and I’m still you know that I kind of want to

1:02:13

place you in the in this a little more I mean what role well what role do artists

1:02:20

have within museums that curators don’t have or or what kind of you know can you speak to that issue as a curator I mean

1:02:27

of course there’s the issues of tactility and expression in in other

1:02:32

media but in some respects both of the artists are kind of saying and doing things that can can curate errs do that

1:02:40

and say that or are there kind of what kind of issues do curators have to sort

1:02:45

of navigate as curators within these institutions I don’t know if that’s really a formed question so forgive this

1:02:52

sort of rambling sort of way that came out please well and I think that picks up on little conversation we were having

1:02:58

a bit earlier about how sometimes within some of the limitations that these large

1:03:06

national bureaucracies impose upon us curators art can say things and make

1:03:15

statements that same thing that we as curators may be tentative about making

1:03:23

and and I have to say that with regard

1:03:30

to these two works I it was just a wonderful fluke that I was there for

1:03:36

Morningstar as Gerald had left so and the i worked

1:03:41

with jit with alex on the contract and so on but he had put forward his design

1:03:48

proposal and his what the content with a narrative would be so that was that had

1:03:53

been accepted by the museum before i would say i was just there’s you know to

1:03:59

help him and to be the contact authority to you know to support him in any way

1:04:04

possible Rebecca it was it was very different where the the museum sent out

1:04:14

as I said proposals to several indigenous curators in North America and

1:04:20

who were to present the proposal in conjunction working with an artist or artist collective and so Rebecca and I

1:04:30

received the award and that that role

1:04:35

was kind of strange I you know what I worked Rebecca and I worked really

1:04:41

intensively on the proposal and the you know sort of the process and the

1:04:47

materials and oh what about this and what about that and all we could do this we could do that so that was great but

1:04:53

when it came when the work was accepted in the contract with sign and so on I

1:04:58

called what I did curating light because

1:05:04

I really i was involved for for text writing and there was some some issues

1:05:11

or cure of a curatorial nature she won’t go into right now but but as far as the

1:05:17

technical aspect of the installation and things that i would have you know worked

1:05:23

on at the museum like getting the scaffolding do it you know like you know being the point person on all of that I

1:05:29

wasn’t and it was it was a strange experience for me and and I don’t think

1:05:37

I could have worked with any other artist and Rebecca on because I know her so well and so I

1:05:44

don’t think that’s that really answered your question but you did earlier

1:05:49

actually okay yeah thank you sheet so

1:05:54

let’s all thanks very much Leon I think it was a really wonderful presentation i’m so glad to learn a little bit more

1:06:00

about the the works themselves what really and as you pointed out before

1:06:06

I’ve been to the Museum for Human Rights and and I was very struck and I think

1:06:13

partially by the negative experience that I had at the Museum for Human Rights really questioned the situation

1:06:21

of Belmore Speece and so it was great to talk about that as a as a choice and I’ve been thinking about that a lot but

1:06:27

some what I’d like to and I think there’s a question in here somewhere but forgive me if I sort of find it as I’m

1:06:33

as I’m speaking what strikes me about both of these works is there adamek qualities there the sense of movement in

1:06:40

each of them and also in the sense that we’re you know we have to look up we actually have to take this different

1:06:45

kind of perspective in relation to them and I’m wondering if you have any thoughts about that that kind of the

1:06:52

function that they might serve as as animate or or as as a son you know in

1:06:58

thinking about traditional practices as doing things rather than simply as sort

1:07:03

of a visual representation but actually maybe having something happen or the sort of experience of movement that that

1:07:10

we get from them when we when we engage with them in any thoughts around around that quality well that well I mean I

1:07:17

agree completely both of them have that sense of movement and I think most directly I can think you know in

1:07:24

Rebecca’s in the you know the placement of it as I said she wanted she wanted

1:07:30

people to look up in order to think about you know the past and but it was

1:07:35

more the process sitting around having you know having tea making the beads

1:07:41

laughing cleaning up saying I’ll see you next week it was that as far as being

1:07:47

you know a cultural practice and that’s something that has informed Rebecca work and it so it’s it’s the motion it’s

1:07:54

the it’s that community coming together on that and so certainly that you know

1:08:03

played a big part in that and also the other thing with it with Alex’s is

1:08:08

certainly as a movement if you think about you know the historical narrative and the the movement and and you know

1:08:15

he’s done it very purposefully in a linear fashion although it’s a circular fashion he’s done that to try to engage

1:08:25

non-aboriginal viewers perhaps but it’s based upon the morning star which was a

1:08:32

star that was associated with movement with hunting and trapping and returning and I think that’s the central core of

1:08:40

that work as well and he wanted to to really capture that movement it’s just got this you know kaleidoscope house

1:08:47

almost if you will effect but absolutely that’s a good point thank you were there

1:08:56

any other questions chips idea thank you

1:09:02

very much all you were talking and I’d seen the Alex gender piece so many times

1:09:10

and I really appreciate the further explanation because it’s a you look at

1:09:15

it with a real sense of wonder every single time so every time I hear an

1:09:22

interpretation from you i get a little better knowledge about what what what the artist is trying to say with the the

1:09:29

bell more peace and and actually with the janitor pieces well when you were talking about the process that was

1:09:37

executed in order for this piece to be created was there anything going on

1:09:45

that’s going to lead to some kind of interpretation or programming right at the museum that you are aware / is it

1:09:51

just a piece at the Museum that human race yes at the Museum for Human Rights yes where were there saying what it is

1:09:59

or is it the legacy of the people whose hands shape the bead will continue the story

1:10:04

or will there be was there anything recorded did the people say anything about how they felt when they were

1:10:11

taking part in her little workshops or not to my knowledge to Jamison just

1:10:17

curry and I honestly have to say I mean as I say it was a kind of a strange experience because Rebecca was in

1:10:26

Winnipeg working with the museum i was in ottawa and you know their skype and so on and that was fine but we had

1:10:35

written some material for either it was

1:10:41

going to be a label it was going to be shown in a an interactive station that

1:10:46

they had with showing the the building of the museum and the you know finding

1:10:52

the objects and so to show that historical basis that Rebecca based the work on but I never had confirmation

1:10:59

that they in fact did that and I haven’t been out to see it I have to say the

1:11:06

museum as many of you may know over ever since its inception it’s for many

1:11:12

reasons and I don’t know all the reasons it suffered from a huge turnover of

1:11:17

staff and criticism and so on and that didn’t change at all while Rebecca and I

1:11:24

were working on this the project manager for the piece was let go another woman

1:11:30

who was working on who are the only two people who had art backgrounds where she left then the CEO was let go and new

1:11:40

people came in so i don’t know if some of these things fell through the cracks and there’s no one there really to

1:11:47

answer that question and Rebecca’s left winnipeg and so we don’t know we don’t

1:11:56

know we hope that that happened but

1:12:06

any further questions then do you want

1:12:13

this

1:12:18

I just have a quick technical question and that is about the job here I wasn’t

1:12:24

sure from your narrative if that work was commissioned after the building was

1:12:30

completed or was it conceived of as part of the building because one of the things that’s so incredibly dramatic is

1:12:36

the physical situation of it well that’s a good question and I I didn’t talk

1:12:41

about that depth what happened was Douglas cardinal and Alex Jan Vere have

1:12:46

been close friends and allies for years and years goes back to the 60s and

1:12:52

according to Cardinal when he designed the building he always saw that space as

1:13:00

being a mural bye bye Alex but he didn’t

1:13:06

have a lot of saying that so it wasn’t until the museum opened in 1989 that

1:13:11

conversation happened amongst George MacDonald the director and cardinal and

1:13:19

Alex they were all there for the opening of the new museum of civilization building and so they had this

1:13:26

conversation and then plans began fundraising and so on began in nineteen

1:13:32

eighty nine and the funds were not in place until 93 92 excuse me 92 93 yes

1:13:41

yeah so yes and I should say to that there’s a if you go on the museum’s

1:13:46

website there’s a beautiful website within a website on on Morningstar it

1:13:51

was one of the projects I help complete but just before I left and it gives you it’s quite an interactive good doesn’t

1:13:58

give you that information but yeah it’s just it’s so beautifully integrated it’s

1:14:03

amazing yeah any final questions then no

1:14:13

going once thanks well before before we thank you and I just have to quick

1:14:20

announcements the first is that there is a reception at the agnes immediately following so we can all head across the

1:14:26

street to the AG to Seth rington and you will see very very easily where

1:14:32

the reception as you walk in the door and it will be there I’m the secondly a very brief note that the there is a

1:14:39

performance art piece today happening at the surge on a McDonald’s statue

1:14:45

downtown by Peter Morin who’s at alton artist canadian indigenous contemporary artist and it’s part of a series of

1:14:52

performance pieces that is being curated by Queens student Aaron Sutherland in

1:14:58

the talking back to Johnny Mac I’m series so and that’s at four o’clock today at the John a McDonald statue

1:15:05

downtown I don’t know the street intersection but I know we’ve all driven past it so thank you very much Leanne

1:15:14

this has been a very wonderful talk and please join me in thanking Leanne and

1:15:21

join me out all afterwards across the street where you can chat with Leanne and we can all relax a little

1:15:37

you

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