An Indigenous-led gathering with talks, music and performances by leading Indigenous artists will celebrate the Nordic pavilion's recognition of the art and sovereignty of the Sámi people at the Venice Biennale later this month.
The event, organized by aabaakwad and co-presented by the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Office for Contemporary Art Norway, will bring together more than 100 artists, writers and curators from more than 25 First Nations and seven countries for four days of free events from April 22 to April 25.
Wanda Nanibush, the gallery's Indigenous art curator and co-founder of aabaakwad, says the event will showcase the power, innovation and diversity of Indigenous arts.
"The opening of The Sámi Pavilion, in this nation-based setting, is an exciting moment for Indigenous artists globally,” says Nanibush, who is Anishinaabe. “aabaakwad 2022 affords us the unique opportunity to welcome pavilion artists past and present, to hear from Indigenous artists whose work has been featured and understand its impact on their work and their practice."
The program will include talks, poetry, music and performances by Rebecca Belmore, Stan Douglas, Jeremy Dutcher, Jeffrey Gibson, New World Order and Laura Ortman, alongside the Sámi pavilion artists Pauliina Feodoroff, Máret Ánne Sara and Anders Sunna.
Previously, aabaakwad presented at the Sydney Biennale in 2020 and at the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2021.
Source: Art Gallery of Ontario