Panel Discussion: Activating Art In Mi'kma'ki
Visual Arts Nova Scotia (VANS) and Visual Arts News, in partnership with the Native American Art Studies Association and Nocturne: Art at Night Festival, present an in-person keynote panel discussion: Activating Art in Mi'kma'ki on Thursday, October 12, from 6-8 pm.
Activating Art in Mi'kma'ki will be held at the Paul O’Regan Hall at the Halifax Central Library on Thursday, October 12, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
ASL Interpretation will be available at the event, and a recording with closed captioning will be provided at a later date. Free admission and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
About the panelists:
Carrie Allison is a nêhiýaw, Métis, and mixed European descent multidisciplinary visual artist based in K’jipuktuk, Mi’kma’ki (Halifax, Nova Scotia). She grew up on the unceded and unsurrendered lands of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. Her maternal roots and relations are based in maskotewisipiy (High Prairie, Alberta), Treaty 8.
Jordan Hill is a T'Sou-ke Nation multimedia artist currently residing in Halifax. His work alludes to a growing problem within contemporary culture where the line between fact and fiction becomes blurred. How do we navigate a manipulated world where truth is incredibly difficult to locate?
Melissa Peter Paul is a Mi’kmaw woman from Abegweit First Nation, located on Epekwitk (PEI.) Growing up, Melissa was immersed in cultural teachings and was surrounded by a family of basket makers. She began her artistic expression at a young age, making regalia and beadwork, and is skilled in both traditional and contemporary styles. Melissa’s exposure to other Mi’kmaq artforms led her to quillwork, a traditional skill in which the ancestors of her maternal grandfather excelled. Melissa was accepted into an apprenticeship with Mi’kmaq Quill Art in 2015.
About the Moderator:
Moderating the discussion is Aiden Gillis, a visual artist and curator based in Kjipuktuk (Halifax, NS) on Mi’kma’ki (Mi’kmaq Territory), with Mi’kmaw and French roots in Western Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland). Gillis grew up primarily on Wolastokuk (Maliseet Territory) in New Brunswick. Gillis is the Indigenous Arts Programmer at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, supporting both the arts education and curatorial departments. Gillis serves on the Board of Directors for the Mi’kmaw NativeFriendship Centre and is an Executive Committee Member for the Canadian Art Gallery Educators. In 2017, he completed a BFA with a minor in Art History at NSCAD University
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
This project was made possible through the generous support of:
