A new feature at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina takes an emotional look at what it means for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to live together. The display encourages empathy, sharing and greater understanding.
The exhibition is called, “Moving Forward, Never Forgetting”. It is a mix of paintings, photographs, artifacts, books, performances and workshops. Co-curator Michelle Lavallee says the display features the work of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists. She says art has a way of engaging difficult and complex issues.
“It really is meant to stimulate conversations but also affect people,” she said. “I think art affects you in a way that words cannot. So hopefully people will come in here and get a sense of what it feels like to be an Indigenous person, living today and dealing with these histories.”
The exhibition will be on view until April 19. Lavallee says it offers a moving picture of how government policies distorted lives, ties with family and relationships with neighbours — but at the same time offers hope of moving forward.
“You know we are obviously all going to be here together for a very long time,” she said. “So how can we do this in a way that is beneficial to everybody and respects one another’s culture and doesn’t degrade another person?”
Lavallee says the work of the artists depict the effects of residential schools, public schools, cross-culture adoptions, and loss of land and languages.
Eleven contemporary First Nations and Metis artists are featured. Three of them are also presenting workshops and presentations in conjunction with the show.