The mural “Lifeline – Sqilxw Resilience”, created by Syilx artist Sheldon Louis and Tim Mayer’s Kelowna Senior Secondary Honors 12 Art Students, is now on exhibit in the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art’s window space, until July 3.
The intercultural engagement mural project was facilitated by local artist Crystal Przybille in her capacity as UBCO master of fine arts academic assistant. The project builds upon work accomplished by the collective Rethink150: Indigenous Truth, which strives to bring public awareness to colonial/Indigenous relations, and utilizes art as a means to do this. Last year the group placed several art billboards in the Okanagan, and curated an art exhibition, to question dominant, colonial narratives surrounding the sesquicentennial.
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Sheldon Louis and Rethink150: Indigenous Truth founder Dixon Terbasket spoke with the KSS honors 12 art students about the impact of colonialism on Indigenous peoples, and the resilience of Syilx culture. The students developed concepts for the mural from these discussions. Sheldon Louis then incorporated the students’ ideas into a final composition, which was painted by him and the students, under his lead.
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An opening will occur July 1 from 3:00p.m. until 4:30 p.m., with speakers scheduled at 3:30 p.m. The mural opening follows the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, hosted by the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society on the arts commons lawn outside the Rotary Centre for the Arts, from 12:30p.m.until 3:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend both the Blanket Exercise and the mural opening, and are encouraged to bring a blanket in attending the exercise.
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