Description: Inspired by the recent birth of curator Autumn’s son, this exhibition explores the timeless and timely subject of motherhood and matriarchy through an Indigenous lens. Colonialism has profoundly interfered with matriarchal systems and traditional child rearing practices. Despite this, Indigenous women display a fierce resilience; providing strength to our communities, reclaiming and maintaining traditions, and passing on wisdom for the generations to come. This exhibition brings together the artwork of 16 Indigenous artists of diverse artistic practices and backgrounds from across Turtle Island.

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Autumn Cavender-Wilson
Wahpetunwan Dakota, Pezihutazizi K’api (Upper Sioux Community)
Wicanhpi Iyotan Win (Autumn Cavender-Wilson) is a Wahpetunwan Dakota midwife, artist, and activist from Pezihutazizi K’api (Upper Sioux Community). Drawing on her experiences as a mother and birth worker, her artwork frequently centers on birth, motherhood, and the honoring of these newly arrived souls. While she began her art practice apprenticing with master quillworkers, Autumn explores digital mediums using traditional Dakota methodologies and aesthetics.

The pieces featured here are part of a series entitled “Wat’inge," referring to the sounds of labor. These are exemplary pieces of her innovative practice of digital quillwork. The artwork uses the sound waves and datafiles of recordings of her labor of her second child. Her vocalizations during her contractions and the sounds of her husband and first-born son singing during her labor make up the patterns of these “quillworks.”

Date: 09/21/21 - 02/25/22
Time Virtual
Location:
In-Person:
Art Commons
205 8 Ave SE,
Calgary, AB, Canada

Virtual:
https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=YAUmdBUBa1G

Exhibit Description:
https://artscommons.ca/whats-on/2021/plus15-galleries-indigenous-motherhood-and-matriarchy

Website: https://artscommons.ca/whats-on/2021/plus15-galleries-indigenous-motherhood-and-matriarchy

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