0:00

I feel like so much of what happened in this experience

0:04

of this project with the Indigenous Intergenerational Exchange and the Holding Ground Exhibition,

0:11

there was so much about process,
like the time that it took.

0:15

So, thinking back to when we first started meeting

0:18

in the fall of 2020, actually,
what made you want to be part of this project?

0:26

Yeah, I’ve really been

0:28

doing a deep dive into the institutional relationships with Indigenous peoples and

0:33

kind of making the demand that institutions start to uphold and,

0:40

and direct resources towards Indigenous peoples
rather than continue

0:45

to be extractive, which the historical relationship has been one of complete and utter extraction.

0:51

So the conversations that we had in regards to this exhibition where, how do we make an exhibition,

0:57

how do we structure an exhibition
and an engagement on Indigenous issues

1:02

with Indigenous peoples
that is aligned more with Indigenous needs

1:08

and a true Indigenous expression, not just bringing… like in the past, galleries have brought Indigenous artists,

1:16

but they’ve exhibited them in a completely colonial platform and way of interpreting

1:22

what the works are and how they’re consumed
and who the audience is and how they’re valued.

1:27

And so when we brought in

1:30

Nikki and Marika to be advisors to us
and to help us facilitate a process

1:38

not a product, or the production of a product,
but a process that would question

1:45

colonial ways of bringing Indigenous presence into an institution like the Art Gallery of Victoria.

1:52

And it was really remarkable in doing that
and just setting the groundwork

1:56

by opening up the organization of the program

2:01

to Marika and Nikki as equal participants.

2:06

It completely transformed what our…
what this endeavor actually was.

2:10

So I’m really grateful to have been a part of that because I learned so much by trying to put into practice

2:17

the criticality that I’ve been looking at the relationship with institutions like art galleries and museums, etc.

2:26

in this particular exhibition that was ultimately
put together and run through the course of the year.

2:35

Yeah, the timing of the invitation to collaborate was such a blessing,

2:42

you know, there was a confluence of events that were occurring

2:46

and one of which being this global pandemic
that had really, like, rocked

2:51

our realities and our ability to exist in community
and in connection.

2:56

And also really challenged frontline activism

3:01

about how it could take shape in a safe way amidst a pandemic.

3:06

And the other thing, the other factor that was really significant for me was the culmination

3:13

of two weeks
of occupying the Victoria Parliament in solidarity with

3:19

Wetsu’wet’en, and that was led by Indigenous youth from 34 different nations.

3:26

And what was carried out

3:29

there, although it was framed

3:31

in a really misunderstood way in the media
as an anti-pipeline protest,

3:35

was actually a profound act of sovereignty and ceremony

3:41

and really incredible relationships were forged

3:46

and an alternative space of being and a way of interacting and really building community emerged

3:54

and after police interference
and the arrests of some of the youth

4:00

that movement dispersed and then quite shortly after we went into a lockdown.

4:05

And so to have the opportunity to connect with all three of you and with the support of the art gallery

4:14

to create a possibility, a potential

4:18

of a container to bring… to really uphold

4:22

not only the activism and courage and solidarity
that was demonstrated by youth at the legislature,

4:28

but by Indigenous women for generations and generations, to bring that together.

4:36

It felt like this beautiful, kind of like beam of sunlight during a very, very dark time.

4:43

And the other piece of that
is that bringing together the intersections of,

4:48

you know, activism and land defense and sovereignty movements with art.

4:53

Right? And with storytelling and joy.

4:57

And that was just such a gift
at such an uncertain and difficult time.

5:02

Yeah.

5:03

For me, the invitation to be a part of this project

5:08

came at a time when I was

5:12

choosing to, like, not be involved in very many things.

5:17

But also, one of the main aspects to the project

5:22

that Marianne pitched was the creation of collaborative curtain, which happens to be an art form

5:29

that I have been really studying
and focusing on for the last few years

5:36

and wanting

5:37

to keep that art form alive and healthy in our communities.

5:41

And I’ve been studying
and learning about that in my own community.

5:47

The role and the importance of curtains and the care of them and all of those elements really inspire and excite me.

5:56

So the idea of working on a curtain together seem like just a wonderful, wonderful, healing project to be a part of.

6:05

I also went down and participated for a little bit
with some of the

6:10

ceremony down at ‘the ledge’

6:12

And for me,

6:13

as someone who’s an artist,
usually that processing and digesting involves

6:18

like creative expression involves creating projects
that help to digest and process those things that have happened.

6:27

So yeah, it was just kind of like a perfect fit for me.

6:31

And I’m really grateful that I did agree to be involved because I kind of put the Holding Ground and our process together

6:39

and our commitment to see this through in the best way possible, really like pulled me out of a place of deep inactivity and,

6:47

and got me moving again in the community and with other artists, which I feel really, really appreciative of.

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