Communities

Curated by Melanie Monique Rose Nisto is the Cree word for "three", which holds abundant cultural, religious, and spiritual significance throughout Treaty Territories 4 and 6, Abya Yala 1, and across the world. The braid, made of three strands, carries teachings of the unity of mind, body, and spirit, and connects us to our ancestors and heritage. Artists Cristian Barreno (Maya K’iche’), Maria Rose Sikyea (Yellowknives Dene), and Emma Noyes (Sinixt) are three Indigenous artists rooted both in their homelands and in diaspora, with deep connections to water, sky, and land. Their families lived here long before the names "Canada", the medicine line, borders, or walls existed. Indigenous peoples had lifeways, paths, and relationships sustained through trade, celebration, and war. For example, before Canada declared the Sinixt 2 "extinct" in 1956 and before the creation of the Canada - US border, they freely harvested and hunted on their ancestral homelands. In 2021, their territorial rights were restored, yet they still face obstacles crossing the border to return to their homelands. Despite the enduring challenges of colonialism, these three artists affirm their presence and relationality through their work. They honor, celebrate, and assert that they are here, always have been, and always will be. 1Abya Yala: the entire land mass currently known as North & South America 2Sinixt: descendants of the Arrow Lakes people, West Kootenays

Invisible Winds: Stories You Can Not See, Journeys toward wholeness Curated by Dean Bauche, featuring Mary Anne Baxter, Dani Bauche, Dean Bauche, Leah Marie Dorion, Susan Gordon, Iris Hauser, Holly Hildebrand, Roger Jerome, Robert Jerome, Emily Johnson, Karlie King, Bonny Macnab, Jon Philpott, William Philpott, Paul Trottier, Rebecca Toderian, Lyndon Tootoosis, Carol Wylie, and JingLu Zhao. Invisible Winds is a timely and inspiring exhibition featuring the work of established and emerging artists from across Saskatchewan. It invites us to stop and listen, to see and hear invisible stories carried by so many around us. Accompanied by the thoughts of David A. Robertson, author of 'All the Little Monsters' and winner of the Governor General's Literary Award, this exhibition explores issues such as mental health, grief, and the invisibility of trauma in our lives. It highlights the importance of sharing one's story and the necessity of being seen for one's pain to start healing. Invisible Winds "honors those with Lived Expertise, [it] uses art to speak that experience to others". Rebecca Rackow, Assistant Executive Director Canadian Mental Health Association Saskatchewan Division