Indigenous art is at the forefront of Key City Theatre's latest multidisciplinary exhibit, inspired by unique cultural history and the natural world.
It captures the diversity of various Indigenous cultures found within the Kootenay region through paintings, beadwork, photography and video. The theatre held a reception for the exhibit on Oct. 1, giving locals the chance to meet the artists, and Alex Ibbotson and Donna Krane were among those who made an appearance.
Ibbotson's beaded jewellery and clothing are a heartfelt tribute to her family's culture and history. The intricate pattern on her beaver fur moccasins represents her father's Métis family tree, with flowers to represent each person and a little berry to signify a relative who passed as a child. The pattern itself is inspired by designs from Norway House Cree Nation, with some of her own artistic license added in.
Her work was made in honour of an ancestor, Catherine Moignon Patenaude Simpson. Simpson was a Rocky Mountain Métis guide who led settlers on a expedition from Fort Pitt, SK to Vancouver in 1863, alongside her husband Louis (dit Assiniboine) Patenaude.
Ibbotson said the beadwork was a nod to Simpson's endeavours, as she has not been given proper credit for her role on the expedition by historians.
"These are sort of a gift in recognition of something that she didn't get properly honoured for," she said.
Métis artist Donna Krane displayed acrylic paintings and quilting at the event.
Much of her art is inspired by animals like bears, birds and whales. She pays special attention to the texture of the leaves, earth and bark, and some of her works have a distinct coastal Indigenous style to it.
Her Free Spirit quilt with its bright abstract twisting rainbow of colours, symbolizes the artistic surrender that happens during the creative process.
Krane said that being able to showcase her work at a public venue means a lot to her, as it wasn't that long ago that Métis people faced discrimination for practicing their culture openly.
"I think it's about time that this happened because there's a lot of Indigenous people who were basically shunned," she said. "You didn't want to talk about it when you were younger, that you were Métis, because you'd be afraid to. We were hidden people back then."
"It's about time we get recognized for our artwork. It's out there now and people recognize us," she added.
The exhibit runs at Key City Theatre until Oct. 24.
