Please join us for a talk by cherished artist, Lori Blondeau on Thursday, November 16 at 7pm. In conjunction with our current exhibition Entering the Landscape, we present this talk by an artist known for her astute use of pop cultural aesthetics paired with searing political commentary and cultural parody.

As a prominent artist, and founding member of the collective TRIBE, Blondeau’s impact on the artistic production and discourse in Canada is enduring. This talk will offer an in depth look at her work, which often looks at the influence of popular media and culture on Indigenous self-identity, self-image, and self-definition.

Blondeau’s work focuses on the impact of colonization on Indigenous women. The Lonely Surfer Squaw, currently on display for Entering the Landscape, is part of a larger body of work that deconstructs racist pop-cultural images – specifically the ‘Indian princess’ and ‘Squaw’. To this end, Blondeau creates absurd hybrid characters placed in classic poses, referencing mainstream pin-up or cover girls. This work interrupts the constructed stereotype of Indigenous women and refers to the damages of colonialism and the ironic pleasures of displacement and resistance.

Lori Blondeau is an interdisciplinary artist working primarily in performance and photography. She is Cree/Saulteaux/Metis from Saskatchewan, her mother is Cree/Saulteaux from George Gordon First Nation, located in Treaty 4, and her late father was Metis from Lebret, Saskatchewan. Blondeau holds an MFA from the University of Saskatchewan. In addition to her extensive exhibition history, Blondeau is co-founder of the Indigenous artist collective, TRIBE, and has sat on the Advisory Panel for Visual Arts for the Canada Council for the Arts. Blondeau has exhibited and performed nationally and internationally including the Banff Centre; Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon; Open Space, Victoria; FOFA, Montreal. In 2007, Blondeau was part of the Requickening project with artist Shelly Niro at the Venice Biennale and recently had a solo exhibition at Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art Gallery, Winnipeg.

Entering the Landscape is a contemplative group exhibition featuring twenty-one artists from Canada, the USA, Denmark, and Berlin. Working in film and video, photography, sculpture, and performance these artists represent a breadth of politicized contemporary and iconic historical works that place the female or queer body in the landscape. Bringing together artworks that conceptually and aesthetically overlap, this exhibition identifies and considers a persistent motif in contemporary art.

All public programming is free and open to the public. Everyone welcome!