The Land Holds Us Collective
February 2 – March 8, 2024
Featuring:
AJ Kluck
Jillian Dolan
Leti Ochoa
May Kineyetums
Morgan Black
Stephanie One Spot
Thea Thomas
In the exhibition Passage, presented by The Land Holds Us Collective, we explore
the afterlife, and the thin boundary between this world and the next. In this
journey, between the now and the other, we contemplate the profound impact of
relationships between the living and those who have passed on. Our bodies, our
DNA, carry wisdom passed on from our ancestors, connecting us to a deep history
that continually shapes our existence. We strive to become in tune with our spirits
and to relish in the beauty of our ancestral connections. We make art to honour
ourselves and those who have come before us, guiding us toward the sacred
direction of returning home. Each piece is an exploration, a celebration, of the body as a vessel for metamorphosis where the shining memories of our ancestors
illuminate the present.
The Land Holds Us (TLHU) is a collective of seven Indigenous artists in Treaty 7
representing diverse regions across Turtle Island. We are a mix of students and
accomplished talents, that share a common purpose — to explore our heritage and
history through art. Diverse expressions, ranging from traditional forms to
innovative mediums, intertwine to reflect the profound threads that connect us to
our roots. TLHU actively engages in impactful projects and exhibitions,
transcending cultural boundaries in galleries and community initiatives. Join us on
this transformative journey as we paint the canvas of Treaty 7’s art scene and
beyond with the colours of our shared heritage.
Morgan Black is a Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nations and Secwépemc multi-disciplinary artist and curator residing on Treaty 7 territory and Metis Region 3. Their practice includes exploring Indigenous identity through relationship to materials, sustainability, the senses, time and place, while drawing inspiration from the land. Their curatorial practice involves approaching the role from a decolonial lens that empowers diverse and marginalized artists to take up space in the contemporary fine arts world. Their methodology privileges visibility, representation, and respect that honours artists and their visions.
Jillian Dolan is a Nehiyaw, Metis and Settler illustrator and student. Through her Chalifoux & Laboucan family she has roots in Kapawe’no Cree First Nation, and she is a proud member of the Metis Nation of Alberta. A 3rd year student at Alberta University of the Arts, she has illustrated for Owl Kids magazine, award winning tabletop roleplaying games Coyote and Crow and Thirsty Sword Lesbians: Advanced Lovers and Lesbians, and the City of Calgary.
May Kineyetums is a Cree Métis artist born in Moh-kíns-tsis | Wîchîspa | Guts’ists’i | Calgary, to a Dene Métis family. They are currently pursuing an education at all intervals, consistently. Their art practice consists of explorations in decolonial thought and examination of the relationships between matter, place, all beings and systems/institutions. They embrace play, in both the creation of their works as well as their field research.
AJ Kluck is an artist! They are Okanagan and Irish. They like to work and sit and laugh and play and think. Lately AJ has been understanding their reality by connecting with people, making metal objects, and playing piano (though not that well). Sometimes they can be annoying, sometimes they can be charming, it’s really a toss up. Overall though, they try not to be late, and they try their best to make the world a better place.
Letecia Ochoa, a dedicated art student hailing from the vast landscapes of Saskatchewan, she weaves her creative journey through a tapestry of diverse heritages. With roots in Salvadoran, Metis, Cree, and Dene cultures, her art becomes a bridge between past and present, a testament to her ongoing exploration of identity and heritage. Letecia’s artwork is a visual narrative, capturing the essence of her multicultural background and the vibrant stories embedded within it. With each artistic endeavor, she delves into the intricate layers of her heritage, revealing the interconnectedness of her origins and the ever-evolving narrative of living in Canada. A graphic designer at heart, Letecia possesses an unceasing curiosity that drives her to explore various artistic mediums, constantly seeking to expand her artistic horizons and create increasingly captivating and evocative works of art. Through her art, Letecia invites viewers to embark on a compelling journey of self-discovery and cultural exploration. Her work serves as a vibrant tapestry, uniting her diverse heritage with the shared human experience. With every piece, she illuminates the beauty of our interconnected world.
Stephanie One Spot is an interdisciplinary Artist from the Tsuut’ina Nation, North Dene. She grew up all her life on the Tsuut’ina reserve by the Buffalo Paddocks, where she would venture out and enjoy the land. She is inspired every day from her natural surroundings, gardening with her mother and the traditional stories told to her by her Father. As an entrepreneur at heart, she is always creating new projects and finding strength through traditional knowledge and making connections. She seeks to research and archive her own personal experiences. Illustrating stories, working with Mixed media, visual media and taking photographs, she believes are important ways to teach and preserve her culture for the next generation. She is a mother and takes pride in knowing that her sons are not only a part of her artwork but love to help out with projects and being creative with her.
Her photographs and artwork represent real time moments. By using digital media, painting, mixed media, visual media and natural items such as dirt, trees, clay, animal hide, willow, helps her explore materials and turns them into intricate narratives.
“I want my imagery to have movement even when the picture is static. This is a particular feeling I am trying to cultivate in my artwork. The inspirations that translates from oral to the conceptions that move beyond the realm of photography helps me visually represent my story, interpretations and my personal cultural journey” -Stephanie One Spot.
She is a part of an Indigenous Art Collective, “The Land Holds Us” where her and other Indigenous Artists Curate Exhibitions, which was spearheaded from student curated shows from The University of the Arts and branched off into Calgary’s Art Galleries, such as The Bows and Truck Contemporary. (2023-Ongoing). She previously was featured in passed exhibitions such as Tsuut’ina Nations Nihisgaka Ogha – For Our Children Dinner Series, 2018, Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society here in Calgary –Gusts’ists’I (Tsuut’ina North Dene Nation) Mohkinstsis (Blackfoot Nations), Wicispa (Lethka Stoney Nakoda Nations) (2018-2020) and working with kindergarten classes from Calgary and a Tsuut’ina Immersion Kindergarten class in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action (2018-2019) helps her gain experience into helping merge a more fluid relationship between the City of
Calgary, the Tsuut’ina Nation and Treaty 7. Her future goals are to continue to make Art and research traditional stories to help pass down this knowledge and preserve her culture.
Thea, a Haudenosaunee Kanien’kehá:ka artist from Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, shapes her artistic practice with an essence of craftsmanship. Navigating the intersections of time-honoured tradition and innovation, Thea is able to build a bridge between past and present. Based out of Treaty 7 Territory since 2018, she finds solace in the exploration of traditional Haudenosaunee craft as a means to remain rooted in her culture and community. Through design, Thea harmoniously merges the realms of traditional and non-traditional methods of creating that eloquently capture the convergence of Indigenous culture within the context of a modern world.