Introduction
A Note from the President,
It is a tradition for the new president of the University of Alberta to offer a small gift to members of the university community to mark the occasion. For my installation, I want to offer the world a small digital sample of the marvellous University of Alberta art collection that has been acquired over the past century from many generous donors. This online exhibition tells a remarkable story about the university’s rich and diverse history. I want to thank the University of Alberta Museums and their most talented staff for their excellent work in assembling this online exhibition.
“This online exhibition tells a remarkable story about the university’s rich and diverse history.”
- President Bill Flanagan
kiskinohawmatok, 2018
Velvet, animal skin, seed beads, embroidery flossᐊᐢᑭ ᑲᐱᒧᑕᑕᐟ
University of Alberta Museums Art Collection University of Alberta Museums2018.4.1
In kiskinohawmatok, nîhiyaw’skwew artist and University of Alberta alumnus ᐊᐢᑭ ᑲᐱᒧᑕᑕᐟ affirms the reciprocal nature of learning and the importance of place. The beaded yellow and green University of Alberta crest is fully encircled by a floral beadwork design that reflects the artist’s lineage as a sakâwiyiniw (Woodland Cree, Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation). The vivid renderings of blueberries, wild roses, and strawberry blossoms are interwoven with braided sweetgrass. These highly symbolic medicines are deeply rooted within an Indigenous cosmology that affirms equitable and interconnected ways of living on the planet. The hand-dyed velvet background is imbued with a number of beaded stars, some of which include a coloured bead to represent and honour the LGBTQ+ community. For the artist, the work creates “a space where our knowledges are represented and where we can see, and feel, belonging together in a beautiful way.”
kiskinohawmatok reminds viewers of the significance of acknowledging both animate and inanimate life forces and that shared knowledge is a powerful tool for compassion, inclusiveness, and understanding.
