White Water Gallery announces new executive director

NORTH BAY – White Water Gallery in North Bay, Ont., announces new executive director, Rihkee Strapp.

In 2011, Rihkee Strapp applied to their first exhibition assistance grant through the White Water Gallery as an emerging artist. As a young punk artist, they recall being hosted by Nipissing First Nation-based multi-disciplinary artist-run company, Aanmitaagzi, during their first visit to the area and being deeply inspired by how they work.

“I looked back at my own art career and realized that the White Water Gallery and local arts community had supported me throughout. It was what motivated me to move to the area, and now, as an uninvited guest on Anishinabek territory, I am here to listen to the local arts and cultural communities in how I can reciprocate.”

Originally from Red Lake Ontario, Strapp is a Red River Métis and was raised on Nohkum’s dial-up internet. Strapp is an alumni of the Studio [Y] fellowship at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, North America’s largest urban innovation hub. During their time at Studio [Y], Strapp specialized in creating holistic digital spaces using collaborative software and social technology for teams working remotely across the province.

It is synchronistic for Strapp to be taking the helm during a global pandemic when the White Water Gallery is in between physical locations. Adapting to this new environment has relied so heavily on how we gather through digital platforms and Strapp has begun beta testing a White Water Gallery Discord and supported the development of the Indigenous Digital Artist Collective discord, alongside digital and NFT artist Quinn Hopkins.

“One of the most widely talked about art mediums right now are Non-Fungible Tokens being sold on the blockchain. There is a depth of conversations to be had around how regional artists can take advantage of this new technology, the ethics on its environmental impacts, and ultimately how blockchain technology is poised to disrupt how we do finance. This new technology has the possibility of bringing greater transparency and accountability to the arts market.”

Currently on exhibition at the White Water Gallery website and available for download and play is “Invaders,” a 2015 take of the 1978 classic video game, Space Invaders, that was previously exhibited as a part of IMAGINATIVE. In LaPensée’s version, Judd’s modified photos of the Native archers with their bows pointed to the sky contrast with the 8-bit depictions of aliens which reference the original game.

Still very much a part of the team, Mitchell Ellam has shifted into the role of Programming Director. He is excited to work alongside Strapp in bringing the Arts to the Nipissing Region. Mitchell is Oji-Cree of Brunswick House First Nation. Mitchell began as Indigenous Arts Programming Intern, working with mentors to craft policy and develop an Indigenous Curatorial Residency to create more space for Indigenous makers and arts administrators in contemporary art organizations. Concerns about policy, law, and treaty rights also inform his artistic practice to create work addressing present issues concerning Indigenous people’s face in Canada today.