The works of 21 Indigenous artists are on display at the Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre until Sept. 27 as part of the travelling exhibition ReconciliACTIONS.--NEWS PHOTO ZOE MASON
zmason@medicinehatnews.com
This month at the Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre, the travelling exhibition ReconciliACTIONS invites visitors to reflect on reconciliation and their role within it.
ReconciliACTIONS originally opened in 2023, kicking off a three-year tour. It opened in Medicine Hat on Sept. 7 and will run until Sept. 27. Curators Diana Frost and Ash Slemming designed the exhibition with the aim of showcasing Indigenous art and using the visual form to encourage public education.
Frost is the founder of Colouring It Forward, where she collaborates with Indigenous artists to produce colouring books, greeting cards and other products. For eight years, she has been helping to stage exhibitions about reconciliation through various arts organizations, mainly in Calgary. For ReconciliACTIONS, Frost partnered with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) Travelling Exhibition Program (TREX).
Since 1980, TREX has facilitated travelling exhibitions across the province, promoting the AFA’s collection and highlighting contemporary Alberta artists. TREX exhibitions attract more than 600,000 visitors at 150-plus venues every year.
“I thought that the art and the ideas could reach so many more people if we could partner together, because TREX has such a big reach across Alberta,” Frost said in an interview with the News.
Frost’s work with Colouring It Forward has introduced her to many Indigenous artists, and she invited several of her past collaborators to take part.
The exhibition features work from 21 Indigenous artists. It is also accompanied by a catalogue, which includes information about the artists, an educational guide and a copy of the 94 Calls to Action that were attached to the Government of Canada’s 2015 Truth and Reconciliation report. The curators hope enjoyers of the exhibition will also take the time to engage with the educational material, and ultimately, respond with action in their own communities.
“When you see this artwork, and you see the actions, make it your goal to put them in action. Not just this month, but consider doing these actions year round, because we really need change.”
The catalogue also features a list of 150 acts of reconciliation compiled by Dr. Crystal Gail Fraser and Dr. Sara Komarnisky. Items on the list include personal acts such as reading Indigenous literature, and political ones such as following up with local representatives about the Calls to Action.
This month, Frost encourages people to purchase an orange shirt from an Indigenous business and participate in Truth and Reconciliation Day events.
In the bigger picture, she hopes ReconciliACTIONS reminds visitors that they have a part to play in reconciliation.
“Reconciliation is not an Indigenous problem,” she said. “It’s a problem for all Canadians, and until we have equal opportunities and equal rights for Indigenous people, we have to keep pushing.”
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is Sept. 30.
