Insurgence and Resurgence in Winnipeg

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Kenneth Lavallee, “Creation Story,” 2017 (collection of the artist)

A glowing orb is surrounded by undulating teal waves in Kenneth Lavallee’s printed banner, Creation Story, which is draped outside the Winnipeg Art Gallery, near the main entrance. After passing one of Kent Monkman’s Urban Rez paintings in the main lobby, visitors are greeted by a massive limestone staircase that leads up to the main galleries and the exhibition, Insurgence / Resurgence, on view until April 1. To ascend the stairs and enter the show, they must tread on a gold-foiled Plains Cree script by Joi T. Arcand. Titled don’t speak English, the opaque yet articulate statement creates a threshold for a show that takes over much of the gallery’s space. This is the revolution in Canadian art, and it has been building for some time.

The Winnipeg gallery’s largest-ever exhibition of contemporary Indigenous art brings together the work of 29 artists from across the country. The show’s title dictates what to expect – Indigenous art in Canada has become a tidal wave of empowerment that is shifting the critical lens nationally. Curators Jaimie Isaac and Julie Nagam have thoughtfully brought together a cross-section of what they see as the most impressive and potent examples.

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Bruno Canadien, “Hustle & Bustle/Downriver House,” 2016

acrylic, graphite, coloured pencil, found images, flagging tape and satin ribbon on panel, 108” x 96” (collection of the artist)

Weaving through the show is a conceptual approach to material, process, history and politics. Dee Barsy’s My Four Grandmothers is an abstracted nod to artists like Daphne Odjig and Norval Morrisseau, who showed in the gallery’s first exhibition of Indigenous art in 1973. Scott Benesiinaabandan’s dark cavernous sound installation fills visitors with the power of spoken language, echoing Arcand’s work on the stairs.

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Dee Barsy, “My Four Grandmothers,” 2017

acrylic on gessoed birch panel, 36” x 25” (collection of the artist)

Beads, skin, land, clay, hides, stone and metal appear in many works, re-imagined to connect the present day to traditions and the natural elements. The body – whether through the Earthline Tattoo Collective’s live studio, Duane Linklater’s massive and unfolded teepee, or beaded S&M masks by Dayna Danger – also becomes integral to the message.

The show offers balanced and varied gender and geographic representation. Artists from the North provide video, sculpture and installation, highlighting the region’s multifaceted voices and approaches.

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Asinnajaq, “Three Thousand,” 2017

film still, National Film Board of Canada

While the galleries used for Insurgence / Resurgence often showcase the work of long gone European artists, this show’s calibre and significance make the space feel vast. When major public institutions give curatorial visionaries like Isaac and Nagam the opportunity to present powerful works of contemporary Indigenous art, it helps shift mainstream perspectives. Insurgence / Resurgence becomes a much-needed reclamation of the art world for the people, by the people.