On Becoming: New Acquisitions from the U of A Museums Art Collection
On Becoming looks at recent acquisitions and the changing directions of collecting at the University of Alberta Museums Art Collection. Focussed on emerging and Indigenous voices, the exhibition recognizes the changing nature of collecting art through time and features the work of artists who are both established and new to the University of Alberta Museums.
DATES: October 26, 2024 to January 25, 2025
LOCATION: University of Alberta Museums Gallery A
TELUS International Centre
11104 87th Ave, U of A North Campus, Edmonton, AB
HOURS: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday - 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
*Closed December 26 - 28, 2024
CONTACT: Phone: 780-492-5834
COST: Admission is free. (Donations are always welcome. We appreciate your support.)
Artists in the exhibition
| Joi T. Arcand | Jim Logan |
| Shuvinai Ashoona | Daphne Odjig |
| Jack Damer | Charles Pachter |
| Wally Dion | Jane Ash Poitras |
| Braxton Garneau | Frank Shebageget |
| Liz Ingram | Heather Shillinglaw |
| Alex Janvier | Roger Silvester |
| Kablusiak | Ernestine Tahedl |
| Helen Kalvak | Takeshi Takano |
| George Littlechild |
Programs and Events
On Becoming Gallery Attendant Tours
Gallery attendants will provide a brief exhibition tour with the topics, themes, and works of art that speak to them individually in the exhibition. Not all the works of art will be covered in these tours, but they will be personal and unique to each gallery attendant and their knowledge, background, and research.
Saturday, November 23, 2024
1:00 - 1:30 p.m., Gallery A - Telus International Centre (Note: tour maximum is 20 people)
Home is where the Art is: Representations of Indigenous Housing in On Becoming
This tour uses representations of Indigenous housing in artworks featured in On Becoming to trace a brief history of Indigenous housing in Canada, focusing on the impact of federal government policy. Alan Wobeser is a current Library and Information Science student at the University of Alberta with a background in history.
Thursday, November 28, 2024
1:00 - 1:30 p.m., Gallery A - Telus International Centre (Note: tour maximum is 20 people)
Reframing Art Institutions Through Indigenous Resilience and Advocacy
Using an Indigenous Resilience framework, this tour will explore the social contexts and realities depicted by three works of art in On Becoming. The tour is centred around discussion, with a brief overview of each artwork and artist before giving space for conversation. The tour will end with a discussion of how the selected artworks weave into the current decolonial advocacy movement. No prior knowledge is required. Janelle Lentz is a fourth-year Anthropology and Sociology undergraduate student who plans to pursue a career in museums focusing on conservation and community engagement.
Saturday, December 7, 2024
1:00 - 1:30 p.m., Gallery A - Telus International Centre (Note: tour maximum is 20 people)
From the Outside In: Understanding the Diversity of Edmonton's Art Scene
Join us on an exciting exploration of Edmonton’s vibrant and diverse art community. This tour will delve into three remarkable works by both local and international artists, each reflecting unique artistic approaches, cultural perspectives, and the rich history of art institutionalization in the city.
Whether you're new to Edmonton or a long-time resident, this tour will offer fresh insights into how art, culture, and community intersect in this dynamic city. Emily Guo is a second-year master’s student in East Asian Studies at the University of Alberta, focusing on the intersections of visual culture, art history, and cinema.
Saturday, January 11, 2025
1:00 - 1:30 p.m., Gallery A - Telus International Centre (Note: tour maximum is 20 people)
Between the Strokes: What Artists say through Painting
This tour focuses on the paintings in the exhibition and explores what the artists’ choices of technique, medium, and subject can lend to interpreting their works. Marko Lytviak recently graduated from the University of Alberta with a bachelor's of arts in Anthropology. Marko comes from a family of artists and has experience in mediums such as painting, drawing, and digital art, with an interest in both the technical and conceptual sides of art.
On Becoming Artist Talk Series
On Becoming Joi. T Arcand: Shaping Words: Art, Language, and Text
Rescheduled Tuesday, December 3, 2024 (12:00 - 1:00 p.m.)
Virtual (link will be sent in advance to those who register)
Joi T. Arcand is an artist from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, Saskatchewan, Treaty 6 Territory, currently residing in Ottawa, Ontario. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with Great Distinction from the University of Saskatchewan in 2006. In 2018, Arcand was shortlisted for the prestigious Sobey Art Award. Her practice includes installation, photography and design and is characterized by a visionary and subversive reclamation and indigenization of public spaces through the use of Cree language and syllabics.
Recent solo exhibitions include Central Art Garage (Ottawa, ON); College Art Galleries (Saskatoon, SK); ODD Gallery (Dawson City, Yukon); Mendel Art Gallery (Saskatoon); Wanuskewin Heritage Park (Saskatoon); Dunlop Art Gallery (Regina). Her work has been included in numerous group exhibitions, including Àbadakone at the National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON) and INSURGENCE/RESURGENCE at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
Arcand has been artist-in-residence at Wanuskewin Heritage Park (Saskatoon); OCAD University (Toronto); Plug-In Institute of Contemporary Art (Winnipeg); the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity; and Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (Dawson City, Yukon); and Harbourfront Centre (Toronto).
She was the co-founder of the Red Shift Gallery, a contemporary Indigenous art gallery in Saskatoon. She was founder and editor of the Indigenous art magazine, kimiwan (2012-2014). She has curated various exhibitions including Language of Puncture at Gallery 101 (Ottawa, 2017), nākatēyimisowin an outdoor mural exhibition in Ottawa. In her role as Director of SAW Gallery’s Nordic Lab she curated The Travellers (Supermarket Art Fair, Stockholm, Sweden, 2018). She is currently a student at University nuhelotʼįne thaiyotsʼį nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills and a member of the art and curatorial collective: Wolf Babe.
Film Screening: nanekawâsis (2024)
Saturday, January 18, 2025 | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm MST| Telus 150 (11104 87th ave)
Join us for a matinee viewing of Conor McNally’s documentary “nanekawâsis”, a blending of archival and contemporary footage that creates a portrait of George Littlechild, a nêhiyaw (Cree) artist.
After the screening, we will dive into a conversation with the filmmakers about the creative process behind the documentary. A complimentary reception will follow, along with tours of the University of Alberta Museum’s exhibition On Becoming, which features many Indigenous artists, including George Littlechild.
Group Bookings and Tours
For group tours of On Becoming (any group larger than 10 people), please contact museums@ualberta.ca (780-492-5834) to book a visit to see the exhibition.
We are able to offer:
- Dedicated time in the exhibition outside of regular gallery hours to fit your schedule.
- A guided tour of the exhibition from gallery staff
- Additional programming as requested
- Special U of A Museums give-aways
There is no charge to book group tours.
Accessibility
Descriptive Entrance to Telus: https://www.ualberta.ca/museums/visit-explore/exhibitions/descriptive-entrance-to-telus-international-centre.html