Opening Reception – Beads, they’re sewn so tight

 

Beads, they’re sewn so tight features the work of four contemporary artists who innovate in the field of beading and quillwork. Over 40 beaded works by Bev Koski, Katie Longboat, Jean Marshall, and Olivia Whetung included in the this exhibition guest curated by Lisa Myers and organized by the Textile Museum of Canada in Toronto.

In beadwork, threads create structure and hold beads together, creating a seemingly invisible scaffold. Beads offer a metaphor to consider the social and political relations and patterns that shape traditions both in the family and the community. From weaving to loom-work and embroidery, the artwork gathered for this exhibition threads together formal aspects of art making such as colour and composition with critical issues such as language retention, stereotypes, and social and environmental injustices for Indigenous people.

 

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