starting June 18, 2024
See available works
Beadwork, in its many forms, has been practiced in North America for over 8,000 years. More than a simple artistic practice, beadwork accompanies every aspect of the cultural and spiritual life of First Nations people. It played an important role in communications and exchanges with Europeans. Ready-to-use glass beads in a variety of colours were a great attraction for Indigenous peoples, and newcomers used them for trade and conversion purposes.
Today, this practice is widely used by contemporary Indigenous artists, and is a powerful symbol of the incredible resilience of their culture. Often humorous, this art has a definite political impact, highlighting issues of identity and colonialism.
Les œuvres de Ruth Cuthand, Carrie Allison, Jessie Pruden, and Krysta Furioso's works presented here are part of this movement. Ruth Cuthand's Brains Scans and Reserving de series highlight the diseases and mental health issues arising from the various traumas communities have had to deal with. For Carrie Allison, beading is a way of reclaiming, remembering and recreating her Indigenous heritage, here with works that are both witty and daring. Jessie Pruden and Krysta Furioso's jewelry is a true celebration of beadwork, anchoring this ancestral practice in contemporaneity, and a plurality of identities.Beading, with its vibrant, sparkling colours, demonstrates the incredible ability of these artists to turn beauty into a powerful tool for asserting identity.