SUBTLE TERRITORY
ÀDISÒKÀMAGAN
THE OTTAWA ART GALLERY
OTTAWA, ONTARIO
APRIL 28 – SEPT. 16, 2018
This landmark exhibition surveys art in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. It brings historical art into dialogue with contemporary practices, including a series of newly commissioned works. It is a story told from various perspectives, reflecting the interests and histories of diverse peoples.
Located at the confluence of three rivers, this region has long been a site of exchange and interaction. The intertwining concepts of the exhibition’s Anishnābe (Algonquin), French and English titles encapsulate its layered narrative. The Anishnābe concept of Àdisòkàmagan implies that every object tells a story. In bringing these objects together, we emphasize the crucial role of the arts in how we come to know ourselves. Author Gabrielle Roy underscored this with her statement, “nous connaîtrions-nous seulement un peu nous-mêmes sans les arts?” Mapping the overlapping artistic narratives of this region also confirms what Margaret Atwood’s character Nell from “The Entities” observed: “In the end, we’ll all become stories.”
The works of art in this exhibition are presented along four thematic lines — Bodies, Bridging, Mapping, and Technologies — which emerged from an exploration of the art and history of this region. Together, they offer a glimpse at how we interpret our world, and ourselves within it.
textiles + materiality research cluster 