Wabanaki Modern

10 x 10 x 3/4 in

The “Micmac Indian Craftsmen” were the first modern Indigenous artists in Atlantic Canada and developed an international following almost overnight. Their work was inspired by traditional Wabanaki stories, and their visual language was eclectic, often minimalist, and unabashedly contemporary. With almost no reflection in the current canon of New Brunswick visual art or Indigenous studies, it is staggering to see how intense and promising the studio’s accolades and patronage once were—though several generations later, these have become all but lost to the distractions of time.

Curated by Emma Hassencahl-Perley, Tobique First Nation, and John Leroux and organized by the Beaverbrook Art Gallery (Fredericton, New Brunswick). Exhibition made possible thanks to support from TD Bank Group through the TD Ready Commitment, Canada Council for the Arts, and the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums.