"We Remain Certain" at the McMaster Museum of Art

Installation view of We Remain Certain curated by Protect the Tract. On display January 9 – March 22, 2024 at McMaster Museum of Art. Photography by Sharang Sharma.

I recently had the pleasure of viewing the McMaster Museum of Art's (MMA) new exhibition: We Remain Certain, Arenhátyen tsi ní:tsi teyottenyonhátye’ kwató:ken tsi nī:tsi yonkwa’nikonhrayén:ta’s. The exhibition has been curated by a collective of Haudenosaunee artists looking to explore the history of Haudenosaunee land tenure along the Grand River Territory. In showcasing the work of a wide range of artists, the exhibition looks to collaboratively tell the story of the Haudenosaunee and how, despite centuries of colonial violence, they have resisted, survived, and maintained the teaching of their way of knowing and seeing the world.

The exhibition features a diverse range of art and art forms. From pottery and sculpture, to acrylic paintings, to flags, to altered colonial maps, to photography, to a scene created with corn husk dolls, to a graphic recording, an interactive piece where those seeing the exhibition can respond to the themes and questions it brings up, and much more.

A piece that I found particularly striking was Bead the Tract. It is a to-scale depiction of the land granted to the Six Nations after serving on the British side during the American Revolution. It was created through a raised beadwork style popular in the mid-1800s, a style and that had to be relearned to create the piece. It also uses mostly authentic 150-160 year old beads, tying it to the history it depicts. The white beadwork is put up against a velvet background in traditional style to reflect the original agreement made about the land between the People of the Six Nations and Canada. I was struck by the thought, effort, and skill put into this artwork, reflecting Haudenosaunee tradition not only through the final piece, but also through the process of creating it.

If you want to see an exhibition filled with more such incredible art, be sure to check out We Remain Certain at the MMA. The exhibition originally opened on January 9th and will remain open until March 22nd. You can drop by the MMA, located right at the centre of campus, nearby MUSC, to check out this fantastic exhibition.

The exhibition showcases the works of the artists Dakota Brant, Denny Doolittle, Elizabeth Doxtater, Kaya Hill, Rick Hill, Arnold Jacobs, Ken Maracle, Shelley Niro, Protect The Tract Artist Collective, Steve Smith, Greg Staats, Kristen E. Summers, and Jeff Thomas; and the beaders Talena Atfield, Tesha Emarthle, Jija Jacobs, and Kahionwinehshon Phillips.