Radical Stitch

On June 2, 2022, my sons, Dawlari and Corwyn, and I were fortunate to take in the exhibition Radical Stitch, organized by Indigenous curators Sherry Farrell Racette, Michelle LaVallee, and Cathy Mattes, at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina, Saskatchewan, Treaty 4. The exhibition features a large number of works by forty-eight Indigenous artists, with representation from across Turtle Island/North America. All of the works are powerful testaments to Indigenous resilience and adaptability. As a Cree mother and educator, my goal for the visit was to learn how Indigenous artists reflect on their identity and reclaim their worldview through their art practices. Each piece is a single story bundle and, within the collection formed by the exhibition, offers a more holistic perspective of Indigenous experiences. The artists, both Indian residential school survivors and intergenerational survivors, share stories that are at times personal and at times reflect on the collective Indigenous experience. The theme and spirit of futurism within the exhibition are highlighted by Skawennati’s piece Wampum Presented by xox to the Queen (version 1) (2021 −22). Corwyn noted that beads are like pixels, and beading is similar to the practice of pixel art in Minecraft, a digital platform. Skawennati is no stranger to Minecraft, as virtual reality and digital spaces shape her art practice. This work allows a younger generation to see their interests reflected within the exhibition and is also a catalyst for a conversation on the topic of reciprocity and treaty relations in the future. Radical Stitch, exhibition views, 2022.Photos: Don Hall, courtesy of the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina Dawlari was drawn to Marcia Chickeness’s Residential School Baby (1997 − 98), which conveys the ruptured relationship between mother and child. The colour combinations capture the eye from across the gallery. The bead pattern on the top of the cradleboard, where the child’s head would rest, looks like stars, encapsulating our ancestral relationship to the cosmos. Residential School Baby elicits mixed emotions. As part of the IRS legacy, many Indigenous children, including me and my sons, did not have the chance to be raised with or learn how to make cradleboards, with which many skills and teachings are associated. Now this knowledge is slowly being retaught to the young generations. The hope is in the artwork itself, as it honours their spirits and provides comfort, wrapping them tightly, as if they were in the womb. The collection of artworks in Radical Stitch conveys the diversity and complexity of Indigenous experiences and practices. Each piece, each story bundle, is not an object that shares the past; instead, the pieces also offer a space to reflect on the present and the future. The exhibition is an experience that thoughtfully transcends time and weaves together a diverse tapestry of Indigenous voices. Jennine KrauchiCoat, fire bag muff, and hat, 2022, installation view, 2022.Photo: Don Hall, courtesy of the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina Janine Windolph, Marcia Chickeness, Skawennati

Radical Stitch

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