Western Canada's art magazine since 2002
2 November 2021 Vol 6 No 22 ISSN 2561-3316 © 2021
Portia Priegert
From the Editor
Editors can go down some interesting rabbit holes.
I explored so many subterranean tunnels before signing off on this issue of Galleries West that I almost felt I’d earned a set of long ears and a twitchy nose. The reason? The unusually varied nature of our latest articles.
Geographically, we feature artists from coast to coast to coast, including Indigenous creators from several different nations. As well, the range of practices is huge – photography, lenticular prints, cartoons, video installations and even virtual reality. And, finally, the subject matter runs the gamut from gender and cultural practices to aspects of world history and the impact of colonization.
Each article must be checked for accuracy. And while editing is a wonderful invitation to learn about diverse topics, one online search often leads to another. But, as every editor knows, no matter how much care you take, you can be blindsided. Often the culprit is your own assumptions.
For instance, we all know what mukluks are, and when editing a passage about a video performance by Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, a kalaaleq (Greenlandic Inuk) artist and one of five finalists for this year’s Sobey Art Award, I didn’t think twice about the description. But after the story was published, she got in touch, politely mentioning that in her culture, they are known as kamiik.
I’d never heard of kamiik before, so I searched online and concluded readers might need a little context in this new opening sentence: “Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory appears in fiery orange traditional dress, set off by a wide belt and kamiik.” Should I change it to “kamiik on her feet?” Generally, it’s superfluous to say someone is wearing shoes on their feet. Where else would they wear them? Specificity is needed only in the unlikely case that someone is wearing them on their head – or, perhaps, their hands. In the end, I changed it to “footwear known as kamiik,” although I suspect that’s somewhat like saying, “footwear known as footwear.” But it was a useful lesson about how much care and attention it takes to decolonize one’s gaze and thought process, even with something relatively straightforward like terminology.
For another lesson on how to approach Indigenous art with generosity and precision, look at this issue’s review by Jayne Wilkinson, a former editor of Canadian Art. In approaching Dana Claxton’s Scotiabank Photography Award exhibition in Toronto, Jayne wove together complex information about Indigenous history, colonial harms and the current campaign to change the name of the university hosting the show, winding it seamlessly into a discussion of Claxton’s work.
I’ll mention our other stories more briefly, but they are all thought-provoking and worth your time. Let’s Do the Time Warp Again, for instance, describes how artist Harley Morman uses lenticular prints to deconstruct binary gender constructs. Rooted and Ascending considers a Yellowknife show about Indigenous futurity that comes with an accompanying virtual reality version. We also have articles about Calgary painter Paul deGroot and Iranian-born artist Sona Safaei-Sooreh, who explores the aesthetics of Western propaganda.
All I can say is phew! And enjoy!
Looking ahead, we have coverage of Ben Reeves, Sandra Meigs, Emily Hermant and the Yukon Prize exhibition in Whitehorse.
Looks like I’ll have to suit back up in rabbit skin for a few days. Which reminds me, I now know the difference between animal skins and animal hides. Apparently, it’s size. Smaller animals have skins. Larger ones have hides. But sometimes skins expand to include bears and big cats. The things you can learn in rabbit holes!
Until next time,
CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE: Megan Klak, Yani Kong, Lissa Robinson, Melanie Scott, Sarah Swan, Jayne Wilkinson
We acknowledge the support of the Government of Alberta Media Fund, the Government of Canada Special Measures for Journalism Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts.
