Anger and Reconciliation: A History of Exhibiting Contemporary Indigenous Art in Canada
In Afterall Journal 43, Lee-Ann Martin discusses the evolution of contemporary Indigenous art exhibitions in Canada from the late 1980s until 1992. The 1988 exhibition 'The Spirit Sings' at the Glenbow Museum, which included only historical artifacts and lacked Indigenous curators, led to a boycott by the Lubicon Cree Nation. In retaliation, Rebecca Belmore presented 'Artifact #671B', while the 'Revisions' exhibition highlighted modern Indigenous artistry. A conference in 1988 resulted in the establishment of the Task Force on Museums and First Peoples (1990-1992) and its report, 'Turning the Page'. Martin's examination of 29 art institutions revealed systemic exclusion. The 1992 exhibitions 'INDIGENA' and 'Land Spirit Power' signified a change in Indigenous representation, despite persistent colonial influences.
Key facts
- The Spirit Sings exhibition opened at Glenbow Museum in Calgary in 1988, featuring only historical objects and no Indigenous curators.
- Lubicon Cree Nation boycotted The Spirit Sings due to sponsorship by Shell Canada and lack of contemporary Indigenous representation.
- Rebecca Belmore performed Artifact #671B on January 12, 1988, outside Thunder Bay Art Gallery.
- Revisions exhibition at Walter Phillips Gallery in Banff (January 8-28, 1988) featured eight Indigenous artists countering ethnographic stereotypes.
- Task Force on Museums and First Peoples was initiated in 1990, resulting in the 1992 report Turning the Page.
- SCANA (Society of Canadian Artists of Native Ancestry) was incorporated in January 1985 with co-chairs David General and Doreen Jensen.
- Beyond History exhibition at Vancouver Art Gallery in 1989 was a collaboration between SCANA, Woodland Cultural Centre, and the gallery.
- INDIGENA and Land Spirit Power both opened in 1992, marking a shift toward Indigenous-curated exhibitions.
- First Nations artist-run centres like Native Indian/Inuit Photographers' Association (1985) and Urban Shaman Contemporary Gallery (1996) emerged.
- Oka crisis in summer 1990 involved Mohawk people defending land against a golf course development.
Entities
Artists
- Rebecca Belmore
- Jimmie Durham
- Joane Cardinal-Schubert
- David General
- Doreen Jensen
- Gerald McMaster
- Robert Houle
- Diana Nemiroff
- Charlotte Townsend-Gault
- Margaret Archuleta
- Jim Schoppert
- Carl Beam
- Domingo Cisneros
- Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun
- Dempsey Bob
- Robert Davidson
- Dorothy Grant
- Hachivi Edgar Heap of Birds
- Zacharias Kunuk
- Mike MacDonald
- Alan Michelson
- Edward Poitras
- Pierre Sioui
- Elijah Harper
Institutions
- Glenbow Museum
- Walter Phillips Gallery
- Thunder Bay Art Gallery
- Canadian Museum of Civilization
- Canadian Museum of History
- National Gallery of Canada
- Vancouver Art Gallery
- Woodland Cultural Centre
- Banff Centre
- Assembly of First Nations
- Canadian Museums Association
- Society of Canadian Artists of Native Ancestry (SCANA)
- Native Indian/Inuit Photographers' Association
- Sâkêwêwak Artists' Collective
- Tribe Inc.
- Urban Shaman Contemporary Gallery
- Aboriginal Film and Video Art Alliance
- University of Toronto
- University of Lethbridge
- Kitanmax School of Northwest Coast Indian Art
- Shell Canada
- Afterall
- Afterall Journal
Locations
- Maine
- United States
- Calgary
- Alberta
- Canada
- Thunder Bay
- Ontario
- Banff
- Gatineau
- Quebec
- Ottawa
- Hamilton
- Regina
- Saskatchewan
- Saskatoon
- Winnipeg
- Manitoba
- K'san
- British Columbia
- Victoria
- Vancouver
- Lethbridge
- Oka
- Kanehsatake
- Manitoulin Island
- Saskatchewan Indian Federated College
Sources
- Afterall —