Beads in the Blood / mīgisak mīgohk: A Ruth Cuthand Retrospective

2 novembre 2024 – 28 mars 2025

About the Exhibition

Curated By

Felicia Gay

Organized & Circulated By

MacKenzie Art Gallery

Galleries

Kenderdine and Sim

For four decades, Saskatchewan-based artist Ruth Cuthand has influenced the contemporary art landscape in Canada with her narrative-driven artwork. Cuthand has been instrumental in the development of an experimental and expansive Indigenous art practice grounded in critically relevant subject matter. As a matriarch in Indigenous contemporary art practice, she has mentored generations of Indigenous artists and prompted shifts in how artists engage with community knowledge.

During her career, Ruth has repeatedly found new ways to approach familiar mediums, provoking new paths for visualizing the experience of Indigenous people living through settler colonialism. Curator Felicia Gay looks at Cuthand’s career from 1983 to 2024. The exhibition comprises new and past works, including video, mixed-media installation, photography, and collaborative story-work between Cuthand and Gay. Cuthand critiques historical and contemporary narratives with humour and biting wit, highlighting the enduring effects of the colonial project as well as the enduring strength of Indigenous people in Canada. Beads in the Blood / mīgisak mīgohk – A Ruth Cuthand Retrospective will encapsulate Cuthand’s diverse range of interests and strategies and engage communities with stories that encourage knowing, caution, and continuation or survival.

Une personne vêtue d'un long manteau marron se tient debout, les mains derrière le dos, et observe les œuvres d'art dans une galerie. D'autres visiteurs se trouvent à proximité et examinent les œuvres encadrées sur les murs. Le sol est en bois et la pièce est très éclairée.

OPENING EVENT

Artist and Curator in Conversation and Opening Reception for Beads in the Blood / mīgisak mīgohk: A Ruth Cuthand Retrospective.

Join curator Felicia Gay and artist Ruth Cuthand for a conversation about the exhibition Beads in the Blood: A Ruth Cuthand Retrospective. Explore themes in the exhibition and celebrate the career of one of Canada’s most influential artists. The conversation will be followed by a reception and exhibition viewing.

Conversation in the Shumiatcher Theatre at 7 PM, exhibition viewing and reception in Craft Services to follow.

Date and time: Friday, 1 November | 7:00 PM

Location: MacKenzie Art Gallery

Admission: There is no cost to attend

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Ruth Cuthand’s career as a visual artist, educator, and community advocate for women and BIPOC communities has impacted the Canadian cultural landscape in a multitude of ways. Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Cuthand began her education at the University of Regina in 1977, and later transferred to the University of Saskatchewan, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1983. She later pursued post-graduate studies at the University of Montana in 1985 before returning to the University of Saskatchewan to complete a Master of Fine Arts in 1992. Cuthand has been instrumental to the development of an experimental and expansive Indigenous art practice grounded in critically relevant subject matter. Cuthand taught as a professor at the University of Saskatchewan and the First Nations University of Canada (Saskatoon campus). In 2011, her work was the subject of the mid-career survey, Ruth Cuthand: Back Talk (1983-2009), curated by Jen Budney for the Mendel Art Gallery (Remai Modern) in Saskatoon. Her work is represented in major collections across Canada, including the National Gallery of Canada, Art Gallery of Ontario, MacKenzie Art Gallery, and University of Saskatchewan Art Collection. Acknowledging her artmaking as well as her strategic mentorship, teaching, and community engagement, Cuthand’s honours include a Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Artist Award (2013); University of Saskatchewan Arts & Science Alumni of Influence Award (2016); Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts (2020); Governor General’s Artistic Achievement Award (2023); and the Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship (2023). Cuthand currently lives and works in Saskatoon.

Une femme âgée aux longs cheveux gris tressés sur une épaule se tient devant un feuillage vert dense. Elle porte des lunettes et un T-shirt bleu sur lequel on peut lire « UPSET COLONIALISM » et « THE REZ LIFE ».

Works in the Exhibition

Presented by

Supporting Sponsors

The Ledcor Group logo showcases a bold design with a red and white globe behind the striking "LEDCOR" in bold white letters on a blue ribbon, reminiscent of beads in the blood. Below, "GROUP" appears subtly on a blue rectangle.

The logo of McDougall Gauley LLP displays "BARRISTERS + SOLICITORS" beneath it. A unique design showcases a blue oval shape on the right with "GAULEY" in white, embodying the resilience and strength akin to beads in the blood.

Marketing and Events Partner

Exclusive Transportation Partner

The logo prominently displays "TOTAL" in bold blue letters, accented by "FINE ARTS" in subtler black text. Below, a thin blue line separates it from "A Division of Total Transportation Solutions Inc." It's as intricate as beads in the blood, meticulously designed to make an impact.

Generous Supporters

Spiro and Athena Kangles, Medicine Shoppe Rochdale

Plains Surgical Associates

Brent and Calle Goeres, Greens Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy

Sarah Gajadhar and Greg Kraushaar