Indigenous artwork takes over Kensington Market

Toronto’s Kensington Market will be filled with Indigenous activists, artists and survivors, or at the very least, their photos will be in storefront windows, until May 31 as part of a portrait series Indigenous Rising by Photographers Without Borders for the 2018 Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival.

By Kristin Grant

TORONTO—For the month of May, Toronto’s Kensington Market will be filled with Indigenous activists, artists and survivors, or at the very least, their pictures will grace storefront windows, until May 31 as part of a portrait series Indigenous Rising by Photographers Without Borders for the 2018 Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival.

Given how Indigenous people were and sometimes are still viewed, it is quite poignant to see a portrait of a strong Indigenous person looking out at you with the words ‘Model Citizen’ above them.

Photographers Without Borders selected Ojibway photographer Nadya Kwandibens for the project and she is happy to be chosen.

“If you are going to tell Indigenous stories, you need Indigenous storytellers,” she told the crowd at the exhibit’s grand opening. She recounted how she had an interesting conversation with a storeowner about Indigenous issues while the pictures were being installed. “There needs to be more education about Indigenous matters, and I hope these installations inspire more conversations.”

Kwandibens wanted her portrait series to be uplifting, which is how the name Indigenous Rising came to be, “it just fit”, she explains. Each portrait has an inspirational quote.

“Sometimes our imaginations are constrained by colonization,” proclaims Beausoleil First Nation’s Hayden King’s picture. “But I’m so hopeful right now. We are unapologetic and authentic in spite of our paths through colonization. We keep moving forward, keep rising.”

May 4 saw the exhibition’s opening reception at the Pow Wow Cafe. It was fitting for a celebration about Indigenous rising that the cafe not having any power due to the recent high winds improvised and managed to supply a delicious feast.

The reception included smudging and prayer from knowledge keeper Laureen Bluewater. She told the crowd she thought it was “beautiful that our drums and medicines are out in the open”.

A few of the portrait subjects were featured during the ceremonies. Activist Crystal Sinclair drummed and sang a water blessing song. Her quote says, “as much as they try to eliminate us with all their policies and all of their laws, we’re still here and always will be”.

Wayne Mousseau-Pheasant became emotional as he spoke about his experience as a 60’s scoop survivor. He and his sister Cyndi Mousseau-Pheasant were adopted together. They share a portrait captioned, “I’m so glad I never gave up. I am glad my sister never gave up. We’ve had some really dark moments where we didn’t know whether we’d make it to the next day or not, but that’s why they call us Survivors”.

The photos are part of a three-part project. Part one is the portrait series, the second part is a web-series launching in the Fall and the third part is a full-length documentary planned for next year.  Speaking more on the documentary, which is on the 60’s scoop, Darlene Karboni says, “to me, it means disturbing the comfortable and comforting the disturbed”, referring to white privilege and the survivors.

The exhibit has been in the works since the autumn. Those photographed include Tasha Spillett, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Crystal Sinclair, Jesse Wente, Wayne and Cyndi Mousseau-Pheasant, Hayden King, Jarrett Martineau, Darlene Kaboni, Carolynne Crawley, Duncan McCue, Erica Violet Lee, Christine Rego and Ian Campeau, who were known to photographer Kwandibens mostly through her business Red Works.

Nipissing First Nation youth Ian Campeau says its both “incredibly empowering and humbling to be showcased along with activists and artists that are making societal changes”.

The quotes accompanying each person’s photo comes from the documentary interview footage. As to the photography sessions, they were improvised said Nadya Kwandibens. Some of the subjects chose their favourite locations around the city. Others, like Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, it was just fortuitous timing being in Ottawa.

The Photographers Without Border’s website provides a map of the artwork. Spanning over 32 windows, the exhibit is a great way to spend a beautiful sunny afternoon strolling the market almost like a scavenger hunt as you search for the pictures and read the quotes. A moving piece of art Indigenous Rising is sure to achieve it’s goal of inspiring and educating both settlers and First Nations during it’s time in the Market.