Installation View of (Re)visions, exhibition at the Art Gallery at Evergreen, 2021. Photo: Gloria Wong.
re/connection, 2021
cardboard, cardstock, cotton, seed beads, thread, iPad, mixed media
created during (Re)Visions: Emerging Artists Incubator at the Evergreen Cultural Centre
I have been thinking about the loss of culture that we Indigenous people have faced. Due to colonization and residential schools I have lost language, cultural and spiritual practices and an overall connection to my identity. Through my art practice, I ask questions and put in the work to reconnect to my ancestors, my culture, and myself.
A search engine came to mind as a way to visually represent this process of re/connection and the search for answers from family, Elders, and online communities. Many Indigenous people today rely on the internet for their journey of re/connection. However, the internet is not always a reliable source for information, and we are faced with outrageous headlines and opinions both online and off. Online sources are often the first way of connecting with Indigenous peers, Elders and Knowledge Keepers, especially during the pandemic. It is unfortunate that the process of re/connecting to Indigenous culture as a whole is necessary, but it can be a beautiful process of self-discovery.