By Brandon Patram
Indigenous culture in Canada is revisited today with angles of untold stories of the past. However, untold stories of Indigenous culture exist in the present day as Indigenous Toronto artists are repainting reputations ruined by prior events.
“Indigenous art matters because perspective matters,” says Russel Calagiuo, a half-Métis graphic design student at Humber College. “We can’t have galleries with just one type of art or one type of perspective,” said Calagiuo.
Ruined reputations
Artists like Calagiuo are working twice as hard incorporating their culture into their art, in an effort to undo bad reputations given to their communities. “Recent events have created reputations for us, like protestors, victims, incapable of doing anything … when in reality we’re just being ignored or disrespected,” said Calagiuo.
The events being refereed to here are the protests of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation’s people against the Dakota Access Pipeline in the United States, as well as an ongoing rhetoric that normalizes suicide in Indigenous communities, which are the causes of the narrowed-perspectives from onlookers.
“We’re bouncing back. We are not two-dimensional beings,” said Calagiuo, “its important that our art is not just about being victims or protestors … I make sure to make my figures powerful.”
Changing perspectives
Not concerned with debunking historical misconceptions of Indigenous culture, Calagiuo concerns themselves with making art that will impact others’ perspectives on their people. “I want to change people’s minds but incorporate aspects of indigenous culture that people don’t see on TV or Urban Outfitters decorations,” said Calagiuo.
“Equity, togetherness and respect are values held by Indigenous communities,” said Stephanie Pangowish, an employee at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto’s Cedar Basket Gift Shop. The store itself claims to be “Toronto’s only Indigenous-owned and operated store,” says the official website. “Togetherness and appreciation are crucial pieces of Indigenous Culture,” said Pangowish.
Appropriation v. Appreciation
In 2017, Amanda PL, a non-indigenous artist, was planned to have her work showcased at Toronto’s Visions Gallery. PL’s work was inspired by a Woodlands style from Anishinabe artist Norval Morrisseau.
“There’s a difference between appreciation and appropriation for sure,” said Calagiuo, “once you start making a profit or getting a lot of attention for work that you stole from other cultures, its appropriation.”
Due to backlash, PL’s showcase was cancelled with an apology from the gallery for a lack of research.
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