Gallery Nominated for Multiple Galleries Ontario Awards
November 12, 2024
DATE: November 12, 2024
SUBJECT: Gallery Nominated for Multiple Galleries Ontario Awards
WHERE: Thunder Bay Art Gallery, 1080 Keewatin Street, Thunder Bay, ON
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery has been nominated in multiple categories for the 47th annual Galleries Ontario Awards. The Gallery has received nominations for Exhibition of the Year, Monographic (Under $20k) for Helen Pelletier: Wiigwas Manidoog Descendants and the Public Program Award for Aanikoobijganag: Thunder Bay Beading Symposium.
Aanikoobijganag: Thunder Bay Beading Symposium was the first ever beading symposium in Thunder Bay. A vision of artist, hide tanner, and bead worker Jean Marshall. This three day event celebrated the importance of beading practices and acknowledged the flourishing beading community from the region in and around Northern Ontario.
“It’s humbling to have the work of the gallery recognized by our provincial peers in this forum.” Executive Director, Matthew Hills stated, “Jean and Helen, as well as other Fort William First Nation artists, provide profound leadership in our community and it’s our institutions privilege to be a platform for their work. Often the good work of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery is overlooked in southern Ontario, and we’re pleased that these nominations acknowledge the skills and commitment of the entire Gallery staff.”
Wiigwas Manidoog Descendants is the the first solo exhibition by award winning First William Fort Nation artist, Helen Pelletier. This exhibition featured a collection of her wiigwas (birch bark) objects, including backpacks, hats, baskets, and skirts.
“Congrats to Helen for this award.” Penelope Smart, Curator at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, stated, “It’s an important recognition of her talent as an artist and her love of wiigwas (birchbark). Working with Helen on this show as curator was a beautiful experience, and her exhibition will stay with me forever.
The Thunder Bay Art Gallery made history with Aanikoobijganag, the first-ever beading symposium in Thunder Bay. This event was the vision of artist and beader Jean Marshall who knows the power of bringing people together in Thunder Bay to bead, create, and learn from each other. Congrats, Jean. Thank you, miigwech, to Gallery staff and everyone in our community who contributed to its success, including the artist, workshop leaders, caterers, volunteers, sponsors, and many more. Thank you to everyone who travelled to Thunder Bay to take part.”
These annual awards celebrate excellence in public art exhibitions and programing in Ontario. Winners will be announced December 3, 2024.
Image 1: Group shot of participants on the final day of Aanikoobijiganag: Thunder Bay Beading Symposium. Image 2: Helen Pelletier, Alyssa Memengwaa Ikwe, 023. Photo by Chondon Photography.