Indigenous Art Intensive director Tania Willard, along with visiting artists Krista Belle Stewart and Dion Kaszas, speak during a panel discussion during the 2023 event at UBC Okanagan.
What: Indigenous Art Intensive, keynote presentations and artist panels
Who: Weekly speakers, UBCO students, faculty, members of the public
When: Wednesdays, May 15 to June 12, noon to 3:30 pm
Where: University Theatre, ADM 026, 1138 Alumni Ave., UBC Okanagan
The UBC Okanagan Gallery and Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies are again bringing renowned Indigenous artists to Syilx territories for a month-long Indigenous Art Intensive to begin May 15.
The Indigenous Art Intensive is a uniquely immersive program that gathers Indigenous scholars, curators, artists and writers to interact with students, faculty and the community. It inspires new projects and creative works, explains Program Director Tania Willard.
“Once you get people together, you get exciting outcomes, whether through exhibitions, texts or how it feeds into local culture and community. That’s one of the most valuable things we see during the Indigenous Art Intensive,” Willard says.
During the residency, students, artists and community members meet weekly in symposiums and keynote events to hear artists speak directly about their work.
This year’s keynote speakers include artist Kevin McKenzie, curator and scholar Heather Igloliorte and award-winning curator Daina Warren. They are to be joined by visiting artists Taylor Baptiste, Corrine Derickson, Mariel and Sienna Belanger, Asinnajaq Uitaalutuq, Marika Swan, Krystle Silverfox, Catherine Blackburn, Nicole Neidhardt, Peter Morin, Michelle Sound, Victoria Jaenig, and Justine Woods.
The Indigenous Art Intensive at UBC Okanagan is one of Canada’s most extensive academic artist-in-residence partnerships. Since its inception, the innovative programming has included exhibitions, workshops, courses and work-study opportunities. Willard says it will continue to include the community in the conversations between art, culture and education in 2024.
“Producing a residency program for artists of this scope requires a passionate team,” she adds. “We look forward to working on this year’s events and bringing all these creative thinkers together.”
All keynote presentations and artist panels are free and open to the public. They occur on the UBCO campus from noon on Wednesdays from May 15 to June 12.
The Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies also offers additional courses in visual art, English, art history and visual culture.
“UBCO’s Indigenous Art Intensive creates a great opportunity to connect with contemporary art and Indigenous perspectives through an Indigenous-led program,” adds Willard. “We’re inviting the community to come and join us for this busy month of incredible events and presentations.”
As well as offering a keynote address, McKenzie is the UBC Okanagan Gallery’s exhibiting Artist in Residence, says Stacey Koosel, UBC Okanagan Gallery Curator. His exhibition, Honky Tonk Chapel, is to be featured this summer as part of the intensive. It will open with a reception in UBCO’s FINA Gallery on June 5 at 5 pm.
For the full event schedule, visit blogs.ubc.ca/indigenousintensive
