HOME/LAND - Northeast Mini Galleries Exhibition

As an artist whose practice primarily focuses on the written and spoken word, I found the process of curating the Northeast Mini Galleries both humbling and inspirational. The poignant submissions presented from a diverse and passionate group of artists challenged me to look at the bigger picture of what it means to call a place and a land “home.” It also caused me to look inwards into my place here in Mohkínstsis as an Indigenous person who, through colonialism, has been displaced from my roots.

I hope that this collection of work holds you while asking you to dig deeper:

What does “homeland” mean to you? At what point does a new land become your home? Or perhaps, greater still – how do we reconcile calling a place “home” when we know that the land we live on was taken by force?

Each artwork chosen for this exhibition reflects the artist’s deep connection to the northeast portion of our ever sprawling city, and their clear commitment to supporting and uplifting the communities where so many distinct voices in this city live, work and create. The artworks range from seemingly small moments of joy, like a leisurely bike ride on your favourite path or a shared meal with newcomers in need of a reminder of family meals left behind, to larger conversations about diaspora, reconciliation and identity. The immense efforts these artists have put into not only their work, but also their way of being, shows us that we can carve new paths forward while still honouring our often-complex histories. Viewing these works, one can’t help noticing how individual moments begin to weave themselves together into a larger narrative of the many ways a person can define” Home.”

It would be understatement to say we are in turbulent times, and those in the margins often carry the weight of keeping others afloat, perhaps because survival has become second nature. I wish I never had to use the word resilient again, yet the work submitted by these artists is undoubtedly that. That and so much more — I hope this body of work greets you like a love letter, a light left on, or familiar voice calling as the door creaks open:

Welcome Home.

— Cobra Collins

As an artist whose practice primarily focuses on the written and spoken word, I found the process of curating the Northeast Mini Galleries both humbling and inspirational. The poignant submissions presented from a diverse and passionate group of artists challenged me to look at the bigger picture of what it means to call a place and a land “home.” It also caused me to look inwards into my place here in Mohkínstsis as an Indigenous person who, through colonialism, has been displaced from my roots.

I hope that this collection of work holds you while asking you to dig deeper:

What does “homeland” mean to you? At what point does a new land become your home? Or perhaps, greater still – how do we reconcile calling a place “home” when we know that the land we live on was taken by force?

Each artwork chosen for this exhibition reflects the artist’s deep connection to the northeast portion of our ever sprawling city, and their clear commitment to supporting and uplifting the communities where so many distinct voices in this city live, work and create. The artworks range from seemingly small moments of joy, like a leisurely bike ride on your favourite path or a shared meal with newcomers in need of a reminder of family meals left behind, to larger conversations about diaspora, reconciliation and identity. The immense efforts these artists have put into not only their work, but also their way of being, shows us that we can carve new paths forward while still honouring our often-complex histories. Viewing these works, one can’t help noticing how individual moments begin to weave themselves together into a larger narrative of the many ways a person can define” Home.”

It would be understatement to say we are in turbulent times, and those in the margins often carry the weight of keeping others afloat, perhaps because survival has become second nature. I wish I never had to use the word resilient again, yet the work submitted by these artists is undoubtedly that. That and so much more — I hope this body of work greets you like a love letter, a light left on, or familiar voice calling as the door creaks open:

Welcome Home.

— Cobra Collins