Artist-in-Residence breaks barriers

Jordan Bennett’s studio on the University of Alberta’s campus is full of paintings, drawings and sculptures. But his favourite art form is music. While he comes from a family of visual artists, he also has classical piano training. But it isn’t playing the piano that gets him off.  It’s being a DJ that does it for him.

“When my art goes into a gallery, I don’t get to see how people respond. But doing the music, I can see right away what they like. If they don’t like what I’m playing, I can switch it up,” said Bennett.

Bennett, a Mi’kmaq artist from Stephenville Crossing, on the west coast of Newfoundland, is the first ever Indigenous Artist-in-Residence not only at the U of A, but at any university in Canada.

“It’s pretty amazing. It’s quite the torch to have to hold,” said Bennett. “Having the university to back me up is huge.”
“We’re thrilled to have him so early in his career,” said Bev Betkowski, media relations associate for the U of A.

Bennett, at 25, is a professional artist who has shown his work in galleries and exhibits across Canada and the United States. He will continue to work on his art and display his work in galleries, but he will also engage with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students to give them a perspective of what they can do with an arts career.

“Indigenous people share a common craft and a culture and ways of living in respect,” he said, referring to the ease in which Aboriginal people from one part of the country can connect to Aboriginal people from another part of the country.

Bennett took his training at St. Wilfred Grenfell College, in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, graduating with his degree in 2008. Part of that time was spent at the college’s sister campus in London, England, studying art history.

“That was huge, just being able to see all this art not in a book but in real life. That was a huge inspiration for me,” he said.
But Bennett hasn’t let his formal training take him away from his traditional background, which includes powwow dancing. In fact, he seeks advice from his Elders to ensure he follows appropriate etiquette so he does not disrespect his culture. He uses his art to “dig deeper into who I am as an Indigenous person.”

Bennett’s artwork runs the full spectrum from traditional craft to video photography and interactive sculptures.

“I use mediums to portray who I am. I don’t let mediums limit me,” he said.

Bennett believes that this variety is one of the reasons why he is able to make a comfortable livelihood as a full time artist because he can contribute to a wide range of exhibitions.

While Bennett describes himself as a “contemporary Indigenous artist,” he doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed.

“Indigenous people are changing every day. We’re not like people to be stuck in time and space like museums try to put artifacts on display,” he said. “Stereotypes need to be broken and I want to be one of the people to help break those stereotypes.”

Bennett’s work speaks not only to him but to his viewers and he’s not afraid to make his messages political.

“People really get what I’m saying about breaking down barriers, cultural references and stereotypes,” he said.

Bennett will be at the U of A until the end of May.