Maria Hupfield's Exhibition at The Power Plant Addresses Indigenous Legacies Through Felt Objects and Performances

From January 28 to May 14, 2017, The Power Plant in Toronto showcases Maria Hupfield's work, which delves into the legacy of Canada's residential school system and the experiences of contemporary Indigenous peoples. The artist, based in Brooklyn, crafts felt replicas of common objects for her performances. In her 2015 video Jiimann (Canoe), Hupfield pulls a felt canoe into a courtyard, symbolically asserting ownership over a Catholic church. Another piece, It Is Never Just About Sustenance or Pleasure (2016), depicts her hiking in felt boots before shedding them to reject imposed 'civilizing' influences. A new performance incorporates a 1974 painting by her mother, Peggy Miller, alongside projections of Hupfield singing a 'women's water song' with her family. The residential school system, which began in the 1880s, saw its last institution close in 1996, leaving ongoing challenges in Indigenous communities.