Curator: Aiden Gillis
Artists: Killa Atencio, Jordan Bennett, Brandy Bernard, Darcie Bernhardt, Flora May Chubbs, Brandon Hollohan, Gesig Isaac, Natasha Root and Arielle Twist.
Survival meant walking through the world with languages and cultural ties tucked under sleeves – worn inward. Words displaced from tongues of descendants; skin eager for stories told through ink.
Diving into museum collections, eight emerging Indigenous artists from across the continent participated in group discussions and workshops while exploring self-representation through adornment and wearable design.
Worn Inward hosts a collection of multimedia practices including photography, painting and embroidery, shedding layers of self-preservation in celebrating ongoing survivance.
Responding to Mi’kmaw artist Jordan Bennett’s 2018 – 2019 exhibition Ketu’elmita’jik [they want to come home], these sentiments are carried over through designs that speak to the active presence and perseverance of Indigenous identities and worldviews. Self-representation results in a visibility that spreads pride; a fire that sparks confidence and ignites change.
This exhibition was made possible with the generous support of RBC Foundation, Lydon Lynch Architects, and Mark Bursey & Jane Wells.
