Skawennati, still from the video work "The Peacewalker Returns," 2017
The Alberta University of the Arts will launch its visiting speaker series with a presentation by two groundbreaking artists and researchers.
Skawennati and Jason Edward Lewis are pioneers in Canada’s digital art scene. They are especially significant for their use of emerging technologies in exploring issues of identity, Indigeneity and the power of the digital imaginary.
Their hour-long talk happens Feb. 13 at 2 p.m.at the Stanford Perrott Lecture Theatre on the university campus.
Skawennati makes art that addresses history, the future and change from an Indigenous perspective. She is best known for movies made in virtual environments, but also produces still images and sculpture.
Lewis is a digital media poet, artist and software designer. He founded Obx Laboratory for Experimental Media, where he directs research and creation projects exploring computation as a creative and cultural material. Along with Skawennati, he co-directs Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace, Skins Workshops on Aboriginal Stortyelling and Video Game Design and the Initiative for Indigenous Futures.
Lewis is the Concordia University research chair in computational media and the Indigenous future imaginary as well as a professor of computation arts. Born and raised in Northern California, Lewis is Cherokee, Hawaiian and Samoan.
Source: Alberta University of the Arts