Reflecting on National Indigenous Peoples Day

By Mel Granley, Guest Curator at the AGGV.

June is recognized as National Indigenous History Month. National Indigenous Peoples Day is a holiday celebrated in Canada every year on the 21st of June. This holiday was officially established in 1996 and is intended to “recognize the history, heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada” according to Canada.ca. I ask myself, what does this day mean to me? I am a Métis and Ukrainian person living in Canada, and this day brings mixed feelings of pride and concern. 

Where My Heart Settles, Is Where My Home Is

By Heng Wu, Curator of Asian Art, AGGV.

A horse-drawn carriage passing the Legislative Assembly building, instantly captured in freehand-style brushwork, resonating with a festival night in China about 900 years ago recorded in a poem by the Chinese poet Xin Qiji (1140-1207). A young girl in traditional Chinese dress dancing under a maple tree, paired with a line transcribed in the seal-script calligraphy, which reads, “Where my heart settles, is where my home is.” The colorful float homes gilding Victoria’s Fisherman’s Wharf rendered in traditional Chinese ink wash with a tone of Western oil painting. 

In the Studio

By Oona McClure, Studio Coordinator

As many of you will know, we endeavoured to keep our Studio classes running in-person over the past 2 years by implementing some effective and creative safety protocols in accordance with PHO policies. We also enjoyed the flexibility of developing and creating ‘at home’ art experiences through the introduction of virtual workshops. We witnessed that despite all the various challenges arising from the pandemic, the process of making art created wonderful opportunities for renewed connection, playful exploration and a place to ‘be’. A warm thank you is extended to the Studio team who displayed ongoing inventiveness and adaptability and to all participants who joined us as we pivoted our program.

Say What? Art Terms For Beginners, Part 21

Inspired by the exhibition Reverberations currently on display at the AGGV, our art glossary this quarter explores terminology found among the artworks in our galleries.

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