This textile artwork has been created specifically for the museum space by Métis installation artist, Tracey-Mae Chambers as another installation in her #hopeandhealingcanada initiative. The artist describes her latest piece as essentially looking like a blanket of round weavings, with intentional negative space to look through. It curves from the ceiling and undulates as it moves across the room and spreads onto the walls, in symbolic reference to the conversations it will spark.
This installation was created with large, pre-made crochet and knit pieces made with red yarn. Like every installation before this one, the materials will be reworked and repurposed at another site somewhere in the country after it is dismantled in October 2023. The story of this installation will be added to the other stories from each participating venue and will culminate into a book and travelling exhibition in the future.
The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum team is grateful to be trusted with hosting this beautiful and evocative art installation by Tracey-Mae Chambers. We acknowledge that the recycled and re-purposed fibers in this installation remind us all that we can unravel (unlearn) and reshape our understanding, to include new strands of thought and more voices in the telling of stories that shape society and inform our future.
To learn more about Tracey-Mae Chambers and the intention behind her work, please visit her web site.
From the Artist: Tracey-Mae Chambers
“Since July 2021, I have been building site-specific art installations across Ontario, at residential school historical sites, cultural centres, museums, art galleries and other public spaces. Many (but not all) of these public spaces serve to present a colonial viewpoint and primarily speak about the settlers who arrived and lived here, but not the Indigenous people that were displaced along the way.
The installations are constructed with red yarn, which is strong and resilient. The string represents the connectivity between each other and our environment, as it will also not last forever.
Red is the colour of blood. Red is the slur against Indigenous people. Red is the colour of passion and anger, danger and power, courage and love.
The goal of #hopeandhealingcanada is to broach the subject of decolonization and reconciliation. These discussions are hard to start and harder still to maintain. I am hoping to bridge the gap between settlers and Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit people by creating art that is approachable and non-confrontational, so we can start.”
