Opening alongside the retrospective exhibition in the main gallery of the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery, a new collection of beadwork created by local Indigenous women also debuted on Oct. 9 in the main foyer of the gallery.
Dancing Spirit in Isolation is a collection of traditional beadwork pieces by 12 Indigenous women, curated by traditional artist and cultural educator Barb Frazer.
The idea for the collection began with a request from a local woman for a beadwork project to work on while the province was in quarantine earlier this spring, which eventually turned into a large project including 30 Indigenous women called the Moose Jaw Indigeneity Workshop.
Each piece in the collection features the same image of a Jingle Dress dancer, a template designed by Moose Jaw teen artist Alexis Bell. Each artist then approached the figure with their own unique take on how their spirit “danced in isolation.”
“This [exhibition] shows that here in Moose Jaw, we have strong Indigeneity building and celebrating. For me, I see these women bloom in their identity, and that is powerful and loving,” said Frazer.
The Jingle Dress dancer is an image of healing, said Frazer, which was a perfect connection between the traditional practice of beadwork and the realities of coping with isolation.
“The jingle dress dance is a healing dance, and when you hear the sounds of the jingle, that radiates outward and is healing for the person, so we decided to do a representation of the jingle dress,” said Frazer.
Artists shared the inspiration that informed their work, including topics of family, personal strength, and cultural connectedness. Some dedicated their work to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement, the Black Lives Matter movement, and to surviving and healing from residential schools and the Sixties Scoop.
Many of the artists in the Dancing Spirit in Isolation exhibition also took part in the Women’s Cape Project that debuted back in February, organized by Frazer in partnership with the Wakamow Aboriginal Community Association. For others, this was the first time approaching traditional beading as a medium.
“Each piece is unique and individual, and represents how these women’s spirits danced in isolation,” said Frazer. “And what this group brings, for me, is the sense of community of Indigenous women who want to have access, who want to celebrate their Indigeneity in a safe and caring environment.”
The project was supported by a partnership with the MJMAG, who helped in providing the materials for the beadwork pieces and are showcasing the work in the gallery.
Dancing Spirit in Isolation will be on display at the MJMAG until Nov. 15, after which it will continue on to be showcased by the Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists' Collective in Regina.
The exhibition is also available virtually at mjmag.ca.
