Indigenous Biennial Launched at Winnipeg Art Gallery

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(L-R): Dr. Julie Nagam, Chair in the History of Indigenous Art in North America, University of Winnipeg/Winnipeg Art Gallery

Dr. Stephen Borys, Director & CEO, Winnipeg Art Gallery; John MacAulay, Senior Vice-President, Prairies and Northwest Territories Division, BMO Bank of Montreal; and Jaimie Isaac, WAG Curator of Indigenous & Contemporary Art; John MacAulay, Senior Vice-President, Prairies and Northwest Territories Division, BMO Bank of Montreal; and Jaimie Isaac, WAG Curator of Indigenous & Contemporary Art; John MacAulay, Senior Vice-President, Prairies and Northwest Territories Division, BMO Bank of Montreal; and Jaimie Isaac, WAG Curator of Indigenous & Contemporary Art

The Winnipeg Art Gallery has established an Indigenous Biennial to launch the 2020 opening of its Inuit Art Centre.

The gallery says it's the first time a public art museum in Canada has organized an international Indigenous biennial. It will celebrate contemporary Indigenous art and artists.

The inaugural biennial will be curated by Jaimie Isaac, the gallery's curator of Indigenous and contemporary art, and Julie Nagam, chair in the history of Indigenous art in North America at the University of Winnipeg.

The first biennial, To Draw Water, will include Canada, New Zealand and Australia and will focus on issues of sustainability, climate change and the environment. It will include commissions and artist residencies as well as education and outreach programs.

"Canada is experiencing a renaissance of Indigenous art, and the gallery is honoured to be part of this exciting movement," said the gallery's director, Stephen Borys.

Meanwhile, the gallery is creating two new Indigenous positions – a manager of Indigenous initiatives and an assistant curator of Inuit art – with support of $100,000 a year for three years from the Canada Council for the Arts. 

The initiative responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by improving Indigenous representation at the gallery. 

Source: Winnipeg Art Gallery