Radical Stitch

[En anglais]

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.