Publisher's Synopsis
The Canadian Museum of Civilization is proud to have been chosen as the sponsoring institution for the XLVI Venice Biennale, and is excited by the selection of Gerald McMaster, Curator of Contemporary Art, to represent Canada at this prestigious event. We are further honored to be able to work with an exciting and challenging artist such as Edward Poitras.
The Canadian Museum of Civilization established exhibition space dedicated to the work of contemporary aboriginal artist, at the same time ensuring that an aboriginal curator well versed in at and museological practices interpreted these developments and brought them to the public eye. This book is an important aspect of this articulation.
Edward Poitras has steadily won new audiences with his compelling installations. Poitras comes from the great Canadian Prairies, where history is at once romantic, discordant and unusual -- characteristics reflected in many of his works, particularly in this project. His expression is deceptively minimal, inviting the viewer to pay close attention to the subtleties of the work.
In seeking to articulate the reality of aboriginal experience and the complexity of the work of aboriginal artists, Gerald McMaster has co-curated large retrospective exhibitions, controversial, thought-provoking exhibitions, and numerous smaller shows. In this book, Gerald McMaster, as curator, and Edward Poitras, as artist, have worked together to create an installation that explores the themes of identity and the interplay of self and Other in the context of a constantly evolving experience. These important issues concern aboriginal and non-aboriginal people everywhere.
