The award winning artist Rebecca Belmore has a new exhibition in Montreal.
The Anishinaabe artist from Lac Seul in northern Ontario is presenting “Facing the Monumental at Montreal’s Contemporary Arts Museaum.
“I am the artist, that’s my role within our community,” Belmore told APTN News.
For Belmore, the ongoing violence against Indigenous people must be addressed – and her creations are meant to spark a reaction.
“I’m interested in engaging people emotionally so, I think I try to create work, or create space or place for people to feel something, to be affected by the work,” she said.
The core of Belmore’s work is based on performance.
“I think performance for me is, is really about being able to hum, be present and people cannot deny my indigenous self, you know,” said Belmore.
“So I think I really speak from, being an Indigenous woman.”
In 2019, it is impossible to ignore the fact that Indigenous women are disappearing or being murdered at an alarming rate.
In 2014, during a performance of seven hours, a sculpture that represents an Indigenous woman who has died.
“As an indigenous woman, you know, of course, we have very difficult time, still today being out, like out in public, you know, going about our daily lives where people want to you know, do shit to us.”
The award winning artists who has been working for 32 years, had this advice for younger Indigenous artists.
“I think it’s important, when you are young to, to go to exhibitions, to meet people, so really you have to go out and seek people out, otherwise, you can’t stay in the basement, no one is going to come knocking on your door.”
“Facing the Monumental” is at the Contemporary Arts Museum in Montreal until October.
Belmore currently lives in Toronto.
