Written by Catherine Marcotte
Situated on the territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabek, Queen鈥檚 University鈥檚 campus offers students and the broader Kingston community meaningful ways to engage with Indigenous Art, notably through our very own Agnes Etherington Art Centre. While donations are graciously accepted, the Agnes welcomes all visitors without an entry fee, making it an excellent place for new and returning students (and their visiting loved ones!) to engage with diverse and rotating exhibits and a steady stream of events.
As a settler scholar with the privilege to live, work, and play on these lands, I鈥檓 committed (as I鈥檓 sure many of you are, too) to learning more about the Indigenous communities who continue to live on and steward these lands. As we settle into the school year and in our spaces on and around campus, here are a few upcoming or ongoing events at Queen鈥檚 and in our downtown Kingston community to plan for.
Held at the Agnes at 36 University Ave, a recurring in-person event, Deep Looking: Emergence, invites guests to 鈥淸s]low down, observe, [and] relax鈥 as they are presented with a 鈥済uided contemplation practice鈥. The collection explores the concerns and approaches of the works of artists in the 1970s including Malaya Akulukjuk, Irene Avaalaaqiaq, and Norval Morrisseau, among others (Agnes Etherington Art Centre). While the first event in the series was held on September 16th, online registration is still open for upcoming events with the final presentation set for November 11th. I will be attending later this month and would love to see you there!
A short walk from Queen鈥檚 campus, the Katarokwi Indigenous Art and Food Market presents events each Sunday from June 4th to September 24th in Springer Market Square at 216 Ontario St in the heart of downtown Kingston behind City Hall. Featuring art, clothing, and jewelry from local Indigenous artisans and artists, not to mention performances and freshly prepared food, the Katarokwi Indigenous Market is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon in good company and community. As someone who used to live minutes away from the Square, I have been fortunate enough to attend demonstrations, performances, and events these past few seasons.
Speaking of performances, the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts at 390 King St W is offering a series of events dedicated to Truth and Reconciliation until November 3rd. Details on Listenings and its offerings are available on the Isabel鈥檚 website below. Please note that in addition to free events, there is paid programming with a reduced entry fee of $10 for students.
While you鈥檙e planning your downtime (and working the Agnes into your plans), remember that in addition to the current Indigenous Art collection, the gallery is hosting Mmaandaawaabi (see a wondrous sight), an exhibit that will be ongoing until November 12th. Overlaying digital objects on the physical space, the exhibit鈥檚 artists explore the relationship between digital and land-based work through Augmented Reality (AR). For more on how this mode is opening up possibilities of decolonization for Indigenous artists, (and more details on how to access these and many more events!) see the Agnes鈥檚 website below.
More details on the Indigenous Art Collection, Emergence: Deep Looking, and Mmaandaawaabi (see a wondrous sight) are available on the Agnes Etherington Art Centre website here:
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More details on Listenings and other programming at the Isabel here.