Art show crosses generations

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"A public institution gives an opportunity for people to say something about their culture which is public," said Wilma Wood, curator, at the Sir Alexander Galt Museum in Lethbridge.

That opportunity is being embraced with open arms by Delia Cross Child and her art students at Kainai High School, located on the nearby Blood Reserve.

Cross Child's students combined 21 art projects to be displayed professionally alongside a collection of beaded work by the Plains Indians.

The exhibition opened March 7 and will run through until the end of April. It is entitled "Reflections of a Continuum."

"I was thinking of a theme to connect the students' contemporary art work with the traditional beadwork," said Cross Child, when she proposed the title.

Wood explains that the exhibit came about through the Galt Museum's desire to showcase local First Nations artists and their work.

The museum decided to host an Inuit exhibit after being approached by the University of Lethbridge.

"We felt that a good counterpoint to the Inuit exhibit would be to host a local First Nations show," said Wood.

Samantha Archibald, curator of the Inuit show, approached Cross Child and the two began work on the unique partnership. It's only the second time the Alexander Galt museum has balanced a historical cultural exhibit with local contemporary work.

To prepare her students and their artwork, Cross Child took them twice to the museum to look at the artwork of their forefathers. As well, she had the students call upon their teachings in class, that focused on both traditional and contemporary art work.

The exhibition includes 19 acrylics on masonite and two class projects. Cross Child chose the artifacts to be displayed in the showcase with traditional beadwork with a lot of color.

Having her work shown in a venue to the public at large, is a major high for Marjie Crop Eared Wolf, a Grade 11 student.

"It's exciting to actually have my work recognized and shown, it encourages me to take it further and it gives me hope to continue my art work," said Crop Eared Wolf.

One work entitled "United Visions", by CJ Heavy Head, a grade 10 student, portrays many people from different backgrounds working together and is perhaps the story of the exhibit.

"I see the opportunity for a great many partnerships, not only with students but with other cultural groups in southern Alberta. This can work towards achieving a greater understanding between cultures," said Woods.