Governor General’s Awards in Visual & Media Arts 2021 Exhibition - Opening Speeches

2023

Highlights from the speeches at the opening celebration for the Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts 2021 exhibition, presented by the AGGV in collaboration with the Canada Council for the Arts, featuring works by the 2021 award winners: Lou Lynn, Dempsey Bob, Bonnie Devine, Luc Courchesne, Cheryl L’Hirondelle, Bryce Kanbara, Lori Blondeau and Germaine Arnaktauyok.

Learn more: https://aggv.ca/exhibits/governor-gen…

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is located on the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən speaking peoples, today known as the Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations. We extend our gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to live and work on this territory.

Videography and editing by Marina DiMaio.Highlights from the speeches at the opening celebration for the Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts 2021 exhibition, presented by the AGGV in collaboration with the Canada Council for the Arts, featuring works by the 2021 award winners: Lou Lynn, Dempsey Bob, Bonnie Devine, Luc Courchesne, Cheryl L’Hirondelle, Bryce Kan …

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Autogenerated Transcript from YouTube (if available)

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0:00

Nana

0:14

Amy Danica Thomas Donna Ines Ora

0:19

Donna spotless questioning he looks in

0:22

Clinton

0:24

good evening everybody I just introduced

0:27

myself to Zoila kintopathixa and those

0:30

names coming to the territories of the

0:32

song he’s in the opposite I laid that as

0:34

Frank Sam my mother Talina Sam and she

0:37

comes from the Webster family in the

0:39

house it my children are Amy Danica and

0:42

Thomas and my granddaughters Aura my

0:44

husband is Thomas Paul from Charlotte

0:46

and it’s really good to see you all here

0:48

tonight I acknowledge the elders I

0:51

acknowledge my family some of my family

0:53

that I see her tonight and I’d also like

0:55

to acknowledge Jamie Isaac and Nancy

0:58

novel of the gallery and then

1:01

um just sharing with you that

1:04

out of the pandemic one of the things

1:07

that came out of that was that our

1:09

community

1:10

Through Zoom we were playing language

1:12

Bingo

1:14

who knew

1:16

but our biggest Flex at that point Our

1:19

Generations playing language Bingo and I

1:22

just think of how lucky we were to be

1:25

able to revive our language and

1:29

keep working on it and

1:33

it took me a long time to talk about or

1:35

even incorporate the main law which is

1:38

like my late dad because that was part

1:42

of the Great process and I talked about

1:43

the language of I take the language from

1:46

my dad because he couldn’t

1:48

I take the language for my children and

1:51

my granddaughter

1:52

but more importantly I take the language

1:54

for me and who I am and where I stand in

1:57

this land in this territory but also

1:59

acknowledging my ancestors in the

2:01

biggest way that I possibly can

2:03

and I heard a quote once that

2:06

speak is martial as little of your

2:08

language if you can because your

2:10

ancestors will be with you every step of

2:12

the way

2:14

I will leave that thought with you and

2:16

it’s really good to see everybody and

2:18

thank you for allowing me to open up

2:19

your work in a good way tonight

2:21

[Applause]

2:26

it’s really great to be able to host

2:29

this show and to host the artists that I

2:32

think most of them were able to come

2:33

tonight and a special Welcome to our

2:36

partners from the Canada Council who are

2:38

able to join us this evening and it’s

2:40

really just a great honor to have you

2:42

all here and I know I’m so pleased that

2:44

the artists can make it to the West

2:45

Coast to celebrate with us and to share

2:48

your exceptional work it’s a big

2:51

congratulations to all the winners and

2:53

it’s about it’s been a bit of a delay so

2:54

it’s about time it happened anyway the

2:57

governor General’s award in Visual and

2:58

media arts marks a lifetime of the

3:00

achievement and the artist practice and

3:02

that is clearly evident in the works

3:04

that you’re going to see tonight

3:05

these exceptional artists exemplify the

3:08

diversity of arts practice across the

3:10

country particularly indigenous artists

3:13

The agtv Remains committed to supporting

3:16

the work of many artists through

3:17

Equitable Community Driven programming

3:19

exhibitions and through our collecting

3:21

practices so please for those of you who

3:25

are able bring your friends and family

3:27

back to see the show and to experience

3:30

an exceptional group of works for the

3:31

best visual and media artists in Canada

3:34

enjoy the evening

3:35

[Applause]

3:42

that is your best welcoming oh my gosh

3:45

such amazing people here to Maine

3:49

hi everyone hi

3:51

thank you again for giving us a

3:55

welcoming

3:57

I am Jamie Isaac Chief Creator here at

4:00

the art gallery of creative return for

4:01

now about a year and

4:03

it’s really great to be here when the

4:06

Canada Council for the Arts approached

4:08

us

4:09

um to host the governor general Awards

4:11

with Visual and media arts of the 2021

4:15

recipients and we did not hesitate to

4:18

say yes

4:19

so as a curator I feel so deeply honored

4:23

and fortunate to work with and learn

4:26

from these amazing artists

4:28

the work has been collaboratively

4:31

selected primarily through the process

4:33

of conversation to present a trajectory

4:36

of their work a scan of their work

4:39

through the many years of art production

4:40

within one show we will see a masterful

4:43

carving sculpture installation

4:45

performance and photography media art

4:48

drawing animation music and

4:51

participatory artworks offering us our

4:53

Dynamic variation in discipline

4:57

these artists leadership uh have paved

5:00

the way in their disciplines

5:02

and pursuit of knowledge and excellence

5:05

and we can celebrate that today and

5:08

within the exhibition

5:10

I would say Trailblazers their work is

5:14

collectively and

5:17

really does offer new possibilities and

5:20

perspectives ongoing resonance

5:23

transformational experiences

5:26

that enrich our worlds with knowledge

5:28

and understanding

5:31

the appreciation of many forms of beauty

5:34

by bridging connecting with and for

5:39

community

5:40

through participatory actions

5:43

some playful

5:45

and curious evoking and thought

5:49

provoking

5:50

thank you so much to the nominators for

5:54

upholding these artists

5:58

[Applause]

6:06

and also for the Canada Council for

6:09

having this amazing uh award

6:12

um for upholding artists in in Canada

6:15

good evening thank you very much Jamie

6:18

for these beautiful words

6:21

it is such an honor to be here tonight

6:24

to represent Council and to celebrate

6:27

the artists with you all thank you for

6:28

coming

6:29

I want to begin by thanking from the

6:32

bottom of my heart director Nancy Noble

6:37

curator Jamie Isaac it has been we feel

6:42

so welcome it is absolutely wonderful

6:44

and your entire team at the art gallery

6:47

of Greater Victoria the council is

6:49

thrilled to count the gallery as a

6:52

partner

6:53

this Year’s celebration

6:55

is most special for two years the

6:58

pandemic offended our lives and so I’m

7:01

delighted that we can gather in person

7:03

for these celebrations especially

7:05

considering that the 2021 winners have

7:08

waited in the next few years for this

7:10

thank you for your patience

7:14

tonight we honor not only the work of

7:17

these great artists it’s also their

7:19

Priceless contribution to the Canadian

7:21

and international artistic scenes

7:23

these artists have Innovative taken

7:26

risks have challenged our relationship

7:29

with technology and our experiences of

7:32

the world and in so doing contributed to

7:36

the development of Canadian Society the

7:38

count of the council for the Arts had

7:40

administered these prizes since they

7:42

were created in 1999.

7:45

each winner receives a 25 000 check from

7:48

the council and a medallion created in

7:51

collaborations

7:54

and the Canadian Museum of History which

7:58

is the teacher Arts partner purchases a

8:00

work of art by the artist who receives

8:03

exciting from an award

8:05

I want to say again thank you to the

8:09

gallery thank you and congratulations to

8:11

the winners we have spent the day with

8:13

you it has been absolutely wonderful and

8:17

I will never repeat it enough such an

8:19

honor to meet you all

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