University of Manitoba decolonializes its art collection

The University of Manitoba is decolonizing its art collection, replacing historical works with indigenous ones, the CBC reports.C.W. Brooks-Ip, registrar and preparator of the University of Manitoba Art Collection, is leading the charge, paid for by an institution he says is part of the problem."The university is ultimately a colonial institution that is designed to serve white people ... and that needs to change," Brooks-Ip told the CBC."We have had artwork that is by a white settler that depicts indigenous folks in not really an accurate way, in sort of the mythologized way, that in some ways glorifies the white settlers — or at least reinforces their white supremacy."Brooks-Ip created the Indigenous Student Led Indigenous Art Purchase Program, a two-year pilot project where indigenous students meet with artists and curators, visit studios and recommend artwork to purchase.The committee running the program has received $30,000 from UManitoba's Office of the Vice-President (Indigenous). So far 24 proposals have been made to purchase paintings, prints, physical pieces and an etching. They will be exhibited at the School of Art Gallery in October, then installed throughout the campus.Committee co-ordinator Jory Thomas, a 20-year-old Red River Métis and third year architecture student said such art reminds her of home."It reminds me of community and it creates that sense of familiarity that gets you comfortable with being here … and ready to learn," said Thomas to the CBC."The university is sending a message to students [that] you are welcome here."One unwelcome piece of art, a painting removed from the university president's office, is by Lionel Stephenson, who lived in Winnipeg between 1885 and 1892. The painting depicts Upper Fort Gary on one side of the river and an indigenous person sitting outside a teepee on the shore opposite.Although some native activists bemoan assimilation, Brooks-Ip instead objected to the separation."It's kind of depicting a 'We're over here and they're over there' type situation," Thomas said. "It's not showing community and togetherness. It's showing the separation between the river and the settlement...[and] the threat of direct colonization."Another problematic piece of art was a sculpture of by Thomas Holland, an American. Here, an indigenous hunter rides a horse and spears a buffalo.Jory Thomas, whose clan animal is the buffalo, said the sculpture may be historically accurate, but was not created from indigenous cultural understanding, which had respect and gratitude for the sacrifice of the animal.Thomas warned such depictions would perpetuate harmful stereotypes of angry and violent indigenous people and foster a hostile environment towards them on campus."Instead of this violent attacking of the bison, there might be a better option of a sculpture, where they're preparing the bison that they've hunted, because we historically used all the parts of the bison," she said.The only artwork for purchase the CBC highlighted was by Frederick Lyle Spence, a.k.a. Thunder Bear, an Ojibway carver from Peguis First Nation in Manitoba. His soapstone carving, made in March, is called, "Let your dreams fly, for they will bring you home." It is the black silhouette of a goose, with a dream catcher in its body.Ironically, Spence isn't willing to let his dream fly to the university quite yet."If I'm not ready to let it go it, one of the things I've been told is that it's meant to stay and absorb your love and your positive energy," Spence said."And when it's ready, it'll go to its new home and then it'll sit and give off that energy to whoever is around it." Riva Symko, head of collections and exhibitions at Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq, the world's largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art, told CBC some colonialist art should be reframed for educational purposes and others locked up."We do need to put things away to make space for other voices to be heard and seen. Sometimes we need to put things away because they're traumatic, because they are harmful ... especially to our Indigenous visitors and audiences," she said. "And we don't want to instil more trauma on our communities."Only time will tell what happens to such objectionable art."The future will tell whether we burn them down, or whether we store them away and lock them in the vault, or whether we bring them out and use them for discussion," Symko said.

University of Manitoba decolonializes its art collection

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