Matriarchs: Prints by First Nations Women
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Art Gallery of Greater Victoria 1040 Moss Street, Victoria, British Columbia V8V 4P1
Matriarchs: Prints by First Nations Women is guest curated by Margaret August, a Two-Spirited, Coast Salish artist from Shíshálh Nation, who brings together a selection of prints in recognition of the First Nations women artists who inspire her. The exhibition, which runs in the AGGV’s LAB Gallery through October 6, continues aspects of the work started in the 2018 AGGV exhibition Form as Meaning: First Nations Prints from the Pacific Northwest, including the noted lack of First Nations women artists represented in the AGGV print collection.
This exhibition offers a way to build that area of the collection, but more importantly, aims to build stronger relationships with the artists. Margaret August is engaging in visits with artists for this exhibition and will share how her own evolution as an artist is guided by, and a continuum of, the work of these iconic matriarchs. The exhibition will feature work by: Margaret August, Kelly Cannell, Francis Dick, Lou-ann Neel, Sage Paul, Susan Point, and Marika Echachis Swan.
Margaret August was born in 1983 in the traditional unceded Lkwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ territories. This is also where she has been building her skills as a professional artist. Margaret’s work is inspired by her ancestral teachings and encounters with nature. Margaret originally began developing her artistic talents at an early age. She carried on with her visual art practice as she became an adult. Some of her artistic influences include renowned artists such as Susan Point, Mark Preston, and Butch Dick. Margaret has been showing work in group art shows since 2011.
In 2017, Margaret expanded her training working under the guidance and mentorship of fellow Coast Salish artist, Dylan Thomas, to sharpen her skill set towards advancing the foundation in the nuances of Salish art design. This has led to creating art in multiple mediums such as serigraph/giclée prints, glass, and cedar sandblasted pieces. Margaret is committed to her art practice as she believes it is her life’s purpose.