Drawing Our Communities Together

Drawing Our Communities Together

August 31, 2013 – January 5, 2014

Opening Celebration 

Sunday, September 29, 2013 at 1:00 pm

The Opening Celebration of Drawing Our Communities Together will be a part of the MacKenzie’s Fall Open House.

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Drawing Our Communities Together celebrates the achievements of a three year community bridging project where students of diverse backgrounds came together to break down stereotypes, form trusting ties, and create works of art. This exhibit was organized by Wendy Winter, Educator – School and Youth Programs at the MacKenzie Art Gallery.

For the young artists, Drawing Our Communities Together was a journey of unraveling racial stereotypes, persevering through personal boundaries, looking at their own communities, and incorporating their dialogue into individual and collaborative works of art.  The program utilized First Nations world views and value systems as a means of approaching challenging issues such as racism and discrimination.

Youth were introduced to contemporary exhibitions at the MacKenzie including: Edward Poitras: 13 Coyotes, Natalka Husar: Burden of Innocence, Shuvinai Ashoona: Earth and John Noestheden: Sky, and the Carl Beam exhibition.  For each exhibition, a professional artist in residence facilitated artistic projects where youth could take a critical look at the societal conditions in their own communities.  The art  featured in the exhibition reflects their interpretation of these conditions while responding to the influences of the contemporary works of art. 

Our Fall 2013 School Tour includes Drawing Our Communities Together.

The Urban Outreach Program is made possible at the MacKenzie Art Gallery with the generous support of Enbridge Pipelines Inc.

This exhibition is organized by the MacKenzie Art Gallery with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Saskatchewan Arts Board, the City of Regina, the University of Regina, SaskCulture Inc., and the Community Initiatives Fund.

Top image: Mitakuye Oyasin, image transfer on handmade paper. Photo: Wendy Winter