Inaabiwin

Indigenous peoples have always embodied a relational approach to understanding and interacting with the world which allows them to engage more deeply through complex relationships with themselves and the natural world. The artists in this exhibition use their varied art practices to explore these relationships and by doing so, offer a glimpse into the complexities underscoring Indigenous worldviews.

Through the diverse work of these artists, this exhibition endeavours to explore the imaginative territory of Indigenous relationality in memory, body, land, material objects and identity. Informed by their unique perspectives, and distinct nations and communities, each artist opens doorways into thinking about the relationships that exist within and around us. Their artistic interventions invite us to reflect upon and question our predominant ways of thinking and knowing.

In Anishinaabemowin, the word inaabiwin can be interpreted as “the art of seeing,” reflecting the complexities of relating to the surrounding world.
— from the Elders of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg

Organized and circulated by the Robert McLaughlin Gallery. With support from the Ontario Arts Council and Lawson A.W. Hunter.

Presented in conjunction with the National Gallery of Canada’s exhibition Àbadakone / Continuous Fire / Feu continuel.

Inaabiwin, installation view, Ottawa Art Gallery, 2019. Photo: Chris Snow.