Grande Prairie Indigenous art show spotlights 'aunties'
Dozens of Indigenous women, rendered in watercolour, pencil and acrylic, gaze from the walls of the Grande Prairie art gallery.
For the next month, the space will be dedicated to "aunties" and the roles they play in their families and society.
"Aunties in Aboriginal communities are the ones that are the glue that keep everything together," said curator Tanya Harnett.
She described them as mother birds and protectors, at the forefront of protests for Indigenous rights across North America.
"They make everything better," Harnett said.
The Aunties are Listening exhibit opens Friday evening at the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie.
Harnett chose pieces by female and male artists from across Canada that honour Indigenous matriarchs. The show is meant to start conversations about issues faced by Indigenous women and girls, she said.
"Art always makes people think, so coming into a gallery space and looking at content is really important," Harnett said.
"It's a bridging space and everyone can meet here and discussions can happen."
Some of the artwork dates back 20 or 30 years. Most of the artists have passed away, Harnett said.
She also included contemporary items such as banners depicting Indigenous women, designed by Isaac Murdoch and Christi Belcourt, used at the Dakota Access pipeline protests last year.
The exhibit is especially poignant in the context of reconciliation, as well as the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Harnett said.
Women have taken instrumental roles in both efforts. There are three female commissioners leading the national inquiry, while one of the three commissioners on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada is a woman.
"Part of it is to talk about how important the aunties are in First Nations communities," Harnett said. "We owe it to our aunties for what they have given us."
Canada needs more spaces like the Grande Prairie art gallery to highlight contributions Indigenous women make, she said.
"So often the women are overlooked in the arts field," Harnett said. "We really need to think about how we honour people ... the aunties are doing the hard work on the front lines."
The Grande Prairie exhibit closes May 20. After that, Harnett hopes to find a permanent home in Alberta for the collection.
