Radical Stitch

Beading is one of the defining mediums of contemporary Indigenous art on this continent, and this landmark exhibition will bring much needed critical attention to the breadth and impact of this practice.

Radical Stitch looks at the contemporary and transformative context of beading through the aesthetic innovations of artists and the tactile beauty of beads. Beading materials and techniques are rooted in both culturally informed traditions and cultural adaptation, and function as a place of encounter, knowledge transfer, and acts of resistance. Connecting to a tradition of making, exercised over thousands of years, this skill-based practice ties one artist to another, past to present and beyond. The exhibition includes a range of work from the customary to the contemporary, with a variety of approaches, concepts, and purposes. Gathering together top artists from across North America/Turtle Island, the selected pieces exemplify current and future directions of some of the most exciting and impressive practices. The works in Radical Stitch invite viewers to immerse themselves in the political, creative, and aesthetic dimensions of beadwork.

Touring Details

Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON: 11 February, 2023 – 27 August, 2023

Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, ON: 13 October, 2023 – 3 March, 2024

National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON: 17 May, 2024 — 30 September 2024