Media are invited to an event with the curators and organizers of the exhibitions that will be on display at the Galt this spring. The event will be on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at noon in Discovery Hall at the Galt Museum & Archives at 502 1 Street S, Lethbridge, AB.

Lethbridge—The Galt is excited about our first set of exhibitions on display in 2022. “For the first time in the history of the Galt, all the exhibitions currently on display were co-curated by or co-organized with Indigenous experts,” says Curator Tyler Stewart.

The three exhibitions that will be on display are Breathe. (Second Wave), Iiksisawaato’p Kainaiwa O’tookátákssin: Maana’pii ki niita’piitsitapii saatstakssin | We Visit with Kainaiwa Beadwork: A New Way and the Real Way of Design and Nitsitapiisksakoo: Nitsitapii Landscapes

“We are honoured that Métis and Niitsitapi artists, experts and knowledge keepers have chosen to share their stories at our institution,” says Chief Executive Officer / Executive Director Aaká óóhkotoki (Many rocks) Darrin Martens. “We invite the community to visit the Galt, learn from the Niitsitapi, Métis, and other Indigenous artists, experts, Knowledge Keepers, and Elders who have chosen to share their knowledge and perspective.”

Breathe. (Second Wave)

Breathe. is a travelling exhibit of artistic masks designed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists that explore the experience of navigating changing COVID-19 conditions. Métis artists and co-curators Lisa Shepherd and Nathalie Bertin launched a Facebook group that now has over 2,300 members. They issued a call for artists to submit artistic masks to the exhibition. The “first wave” of the exhibit has toured across Canada since 2020 and was shown in museums and galleries in Banff, Edmonton, Yellowknife, and more.

“Our vision was that these masks would become artifacts that record a significant historical moment in human history,” explains exhibition co-creator Lisa Shepherd. “These artworks are true records of humanity and human life in 21st century pandemic that tell their makers’ unique stories of fear, courage, sadness, hope, love and healing that unite us all.”

The carefully constructed masks and thought-provoking artist statements encourage visitors to reflect on our shared and unique experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibition demonstrates how artists can record a significant historical moment in human history, and includes the experiences of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists from a variety of backgrounds.

“The Galt is showing the ‘second wave’ of the exhibition,” says Curator Tyler Stewart, “which showcases the work and experiences of different artists from across the country and includes a local component of masks created by local Indigenous beadworkers and artists as well.”

[Lisa Shepherd, co-creator of the national touring exhibition, is also available for interview requests.]

Panorama image of the installed Breathe. (2nd Wave) exhibit.
Photo by Galt Museum & Archives

Kalli Eagle Speaker examines the Breathe. (2nd Wave) exhibit. Photo by Galt Museum & Archives

A visitor examines the Breathe. (2nd Wave) exhibit. Photo by Galt Museum & Archives

Masks on display in the Breathe. (2nd Wave) exhibit. Photo by Galt Museum & Archives

Iiksisawaato’p Kainaiwa O’tookátákssin: Maana’pii ki niita’piitsitapii saatstakssin | We Visit with Kainaiwa Beadwork: A New Way and the Real Way of Design

When exhibit co-organizers Hali Heavy Shield, Kalli Eagle Speaker and Carol Williams began to put together an exhibition on traditional and contemporary beadwork, “our aspiration was to offer visitors the opportunity to appreciate the historical legacy of Kainai beading,” says Carol Williams.

The exhibition features large-scale photographs of traditional Kainai beadwork pieces, archival images of Niitsitapi beadwork, and stories of contemporary Kainai beadworkers like Tanya Wadsworth, Torry Eagle Speaker, Carol Mason, LouAnn Day Chief, and Alexis Bull Bear.

“We wanted to highlight the value and continuity of beading over time with this form of living archive,” says Kalli Eagle Speaker.

“We hope that the archival images of traditional beadwork patterns will inspire contemporary beaders,” says Hali Heavy Shield, “and that the community will share their own stories of personal or family beadwork and celebrate Niitsitapi language and culture.”

Panels displayed in the Iiksisawaato’p Kainaiwa O’tookátákssin: Maana’pii ki niita’piitsitapii saatstakssin | We Visit with Kainaiwa Beadwork: A New Way and the Real Way of Design exhibition. Photo by Galt Museum & Archives.

Nitsitapiisksakoo: Nitsitapii Landscapes

This exhibit, co-curated by Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head), Itsinohtss piyaki (Rebecca Many Grey Horses), and Bobbie Fox, examines the traditional landscapes of the Nitsitapii through archival images from the Galt's collection.

“Many sites located throughout this territory have meaning which can be categorized as Spirit-created, Nature-created, or Human-created,” explains Ninna Piiksii. “Spirit-created sites are places created and touched by Napi. Napi is the name of the Creator for the Nitsitapii. Nature-created sites are places or geographic features that came into being through natural geologic forces. Human-created sites are places that were created by the Nitsitapii through the alteration of the natural landscape.”

“The Galt contains copies of some extraordinary landscape photography that is accessible to the public,” says co-curator Bobbie Fox. “We felt it important to explore and learn how those photographic resources relate to the traditional uses and knowledge of those sites.”

“The southern Alberta sites featured in this exhibit were selected because they are culturally or educationally significant to the Niitsitapi for a variety of reasons.” explains co-curator Itsinohtss piyaki. “We included prominent landmarks like Kátoyissiksi (Sweetgrass Hills) and Nínaiistáko (Chief Mountain), as well as educational tools like the Ak’hstimani (stone markings) located in the Galt’s outdoor exhibition space.”