National Indigenous Peoples Day | 2020

8 | NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY

art

BY JENNIFER MCFEE KC ADAMS’ ARTWORK STEMS FROM HER ANCESTORS’ TRADITIONS USING EARTH- BASED OBJECTS WHILE ALSO BRANCHING OUT INTO MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY. For the past four years, she’s been gaining knowledge and inspiration from elders, scholars and community members at the Nibi (Water) Gathering at Whiteshell Provincial Park. “It’s a really wonderful opportunity to make those connections to land and water,” said Adams, whose cultural background includes Cree, Ojibwe and British roots. “It really transformed my relationship to land when I was able to follow the footsteps of my ancestors by collecting clay and firing these vessels on the land without using anything that was store-bought. Everything was done just as the ancestors did.” She recently showcased her works through an exhibition called “Gage’gajiiwaan” at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba in Brandon, which shifted to an online format due to COVID-19. Although the gallery’s virtual display has now wrapped up, the solo show can still be Art from the heart

viewed at http://kcadams.net/gagegajiiwaan/. Adams also engaged in a series of virtual workshops and conversations that are posted on the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba’s Facebook page. “I need to share this knowledge, which is what I’ve done with my birch bark technology pieces that are on display,” said Adams, referring to multimedia creations with a birch bark backdrop that melds with patterns from computer circuit boards. Adding to the experience, elder Sherry Copenace provides audio descriptions in the Ojibwe language to accompany the online artwork. “At the Nibi Gathering, she has been instrumental in guiding myself and so many others. It was really important to have her speak her language and not to give the translation. Not all art explains itself. Sometimes it’s just a feeling you experience. When you watch the video and you’re listening to her words, it’s just so lyrical. Her voice is almost like water flowing over rocks. It’s really beautiful,” Adams said. “It was important to bring that water knowledge based on everything that I’ve been learning over the past four years. It’s so meaningful and it really changed my life. It changed how I look at the world, understanding that I am a water carrier and it’s my responsibility to protect waters.” The water theme spills over to Adams’ clay vessel creation that is also part of the exhibition.

KC Adams showcases a large and lightweight vessel from the Manitoba Museum. PHOTO BY KEVIN BROWNLEE.

HAPPY NATIONAL ABORIGINAL DAY! Happy National Indigenous Peoples Day and Indigenous History Month!

CREATIVELY INSPIRING INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

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