#YegDT

[sacredsocialjustice]

Ceasefire Now Pan-Canadian Day of Action by Paula Kirman

[yegactivist]

All Out for Gaza - Feb. 25, 2024 by Paula Kirman

[yegphotographer]

Christmas and Chanukah at the Alberta Legislature by Paula Kirman

[yegarts]

Happenings on Churchill Square

Churchill Square programming is in full swing with an array of free, family friendly special events coming up in May and June. You can also catch our regular free weekly programming which includes Live at Lunch, Zumba, Salsa on the Square, Cypher Wild and the crafts with the AGA Art Cart. Check out our roundup of upcoming events below: 

Downtown Spark  

Get ready for whimsical art installations from around the world, family-friendly fun, concerts, dance parties and more! Starting this week, explore large-scale art sculptures throughout the downtown core at Downtown Spark. From May 25 to June 4 giant art installations will be located at six different locations, with the largest piece Evanescent by ATELIER SISU coming to Churchill Square. Edmonton is the first city in Canada to host Evanescent, after appearing in 22 international cities and 12 countries. There will also be FREE lunch-time programming, with local musician Aladean Kheroufi kicking things off with a live performance at CKUA on May 25 from 12 – 1 pm. For more information visit https://www.edmontondowntown.com/spark/.  

Paper Airplane Day 

Did you know that May 26th is Nation Paper Airplane Day? The Alberta Aviation Museum will be bringing their Paper Airplane Test Lab to Churchill Square on Friday May 26 from 12 – 2 pm where you’ll have a chance to build different airplane designs and compare what makes them great at tricks and skills. There are designs for everyone from beginners to the paper airplane pro, or you can put your own designs to the test. Staff will be on hand to help fold and decorate your airplane, then it’s up to you to let them fly! 

Splash Day 

Come down to Churchill Square and beat the heat! On May 27th the City of Edmonton is turning on the fountain in front of City Hall, and we’re marking the occasion with Splash Day. Join the EAC and the City of Edmonton from 11 am – 4 pm for performances by the Tsunami Brothers and the Trincan Steelpan Orchestra, roving sea creatures, food trucks, games and more. 

UP on the Square: Benjamin Oswald  Stop by TIX on the Square between June 3 –17 to find a selection of work from Benjamin Oswald's residency, the unveiling of his City Marigold collection and many other surprises. Many of the ceramic pieces on display were created with glazes developed with the support of a recent EAC grant. Select items will be available for purchase.  

Benjamin Oswald has shown and sold his work in multiple spaces in Edmonton and beyond, including Latitude 53, AGA, TIX, the Artworks and Studio 21 Gallery in Halifax. Through a project with TIX, Benjamin was commissioned by the City of Edmonton to create a special collection which references our civic flower, the marigold. He recently returned home from a residency in Denmark, where he experimented with new forms, glazes and forms. 

Opening Reception: June 3, 12 - 2 pm, exhibit runs: June 3 - 17.  

New child-friendly public art

Have you spotted the new artwork being installed on the Square? Created by local artists Erin Pankratz and Christian Peres Gibaut of Red Knot Studio, A Mischief of Could-be(s) consists of five standing sculptures, drawing inspiration from how children freely interpret and imagine the world through play. The tree-like quality suggests the idea of a magical forest, while the ambiguity of the forms allows for other interpretations, such as tentacles, snakes, arms, stalagmites, etc. The whimsical shapes and colourful palette make the art engaging for art lovers of all ages. To celebrate the installation of this new public art, the EAC will be hosting a kid-friendly celebration with the artists. Keep your eyes peeled for more details in the coming weeks.  

Please note that all events are dependent on weather and air quality. Be sure to check the EAC's social media and website for updates about cancellations.

[arumlilyedmonton]

Arum Lily Flower Shop Edmonton, 17006-100 Avenue, NORTH WEST, Edmonton, Alberta T5S 2E7 CANADA. We have been open for over 15 years in the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We are proud of providing the best service, designs and quality of flower arrangements to our customers in Edmonton.

Edmonton, Alberta Florist - We serve of Edmonton and the Surrounding Cities or Towns! You can order flower arrangements online 24 hours a day and 7 days a week for your shopping convenience.

Our passion for flowers, in-depth product knowledge and incredible attention to detail guarantee that you'll be sure to find the arrangements that work for you, no matter what the occasion ~ Beauty In Bloom! If you don't see anything you love on our website, give us a call at 780-475-3545 or toll free at 1-855-475-3545, email us at Info@arumlily.ca and we'll be more than happy to help.

[laurby]

Is this thing on

[eglinski]

Attack on Edmonton in winter. My first images created using artificial intelligence, unintentionally in the style of Polish artist Jakub Różalski.

[amythicaldragyn]

When you can’t stop talking about Toastmasters to people so you decide to actually go out and…talk to people about Toastmasters! I am slowly becoming a people person again! #toastmasters #askmeanything #yegdt #adventure https://www.instagram.com/p/CTxiki7hwfF/?utm_medium=tumblr

[stylists-supporting-stylists]

It’s all about warmth this season 🔥 . . . . . Reposted from @danica_simplyluxehair Base: @redken SEQ 7gb + 8gi Gloss: SEQ 10wg + 10n If you’re looking for a sign to warm up your hair colour, this is it ✨ #warmhair #warmhaircolor #warmblonde #blondehair #blondebalayage #highlights #babylights #balayage #yeg #yeghair #yeghairstylist #yeghairsalon #yegblonde #yeglife #yegpride #yeglocal #yegfitness #queeryeg #yegphotographer #yegdt #whyteave #yegevents #yeghomes #yegmoms #sherwoodpark #stalbert #sprucegrove (at El Cortez Mexican Bar & Grill) https://www.instagram.com/p/CfXsHgvOIzY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sacredsocialjustice]

March for Gaza - April 21, 2024 by Paula Kirman

[yegactivist]

All Out for Gaza - Feb. 25, 2024 by Paula Kirman

[yegphotographer]

Edmonton March for Palestine by Paula Kirman

[xmoonwalker777]

“𝙸𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚞𝚙 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚎𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜. 𝙽𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝, 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚎’𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚘𝚔𝚊𝚢. 𝙳𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚏𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚍.“ -𝚂.𝙰.𝙻

[arumlilyedmonton]

We Took The Funk...Petal...Out of Our Name! Fresh Flowers - Beauty In Blooms!

Arum Lily Flower Shop Edmonton, 17006-100 Avenue, NW, Edmonton, Alberta T5S 2E7 CANADA. We have been open for over 15 years in the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We are proud of providing the best service, designs and quality of flower arrangements to our customers in Edmonton.

Edmonton, Alberta Florist - We serve of Edmonton and the Surrounding Cities or Towns! You can order flower arrangements online 24 hours a day and 7 days a week for your shopping convenience.

Our passion for flowers, in-depth product knowledge and incredible attention to detail guarantee that you'll be sure to find the arrangements that work for you, no matter what the occasion ~ Beauty In Bloom! If you don't see anything you love on our website, give us a call at 780-475-3545 or toll free at 1-855-475-3545, email us at Info@arumlily.ca and we'll be more than happy to help.

[butterfly-storms]

•Home Edition•

Launching tonight! Stay tuned.

[yegarts]

Mamanaw Pekiskwewina | Mother Tongues: amiskwacîwâskahikan

Meet Artist and Curator, Cheyenne Rain LeGrande ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ

When you think of resilience, you might not think of languages. That’s not the case for artist and curator Cheyenne Rain LeGrande ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ. Her current exhibition, Mamanaw Pekiskwewina | Mother Tongues: amiskwacîwâskahikan, celebrates the ancestral languages of Treaty 6 by visibly embedding seven Indigenous languages from this land throughout downtown amiskwacîwâskahikan, physically reclaiming space for their revitalization. As you’re about to discover, each installation in this series speaks to the resilience and survival of Indigenous Peoples, their languages, and the power of visibility. This outdoor exhibition runs April to September 2021, but today it’s our great pleasure to introduce you to the curator sharing the knowledge and power behind these public gifts of art. Meet Cheyenne Rain LeGrande ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ.

Top: jaye simpson, Auntie Told me Mother used to speak the Language too, 2021, performance, charcoal, vinyl prints. Courtesy of the artist and Latitude 53. Bottom: Wanahae, AHOCAPAM NE WATEZHE WIYANKTE, WICAKTE (PROTECT TWO SPIRIT YOUTH), 2021, dibond panels, acrylic paint, acrylic markers. Courtesy of the artist and Latitude 53.

In your curatorial statement, you talk about the power of visibility and having ancestral languages embedded across the downtown core in amiskwacîwâskahikan. In what ways does having an off-site exhibition highlight that?

ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ: Having the ancestral Indigenous languages which come from this territory be visible is so important and powerful. It speaks to the resilience of our people. We are still here. Having these works be offsite and accessible to the general public is an important aspect of the show. It allows for Indigenous languages, and these magical gifts of art, to be seen and celebrated. Bringing art to the people during this time is needed. Seeing them up in the downtown core has been a really moving moment.

You’ve introduced two new terms to the art-world lexicon: [care]rated and [gifts of art]. How did those terms come to be?

ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ: These words came to me while thinking through the show. The word [care]rated or [care]rator came from thinking through my role as curator. I felt my role in this show was to care for the artists, their [gifts of art] and the Indigenous languages. I was thinking of my ancestors and how they might have navigated this space. It was important to care and love through this process and to do so humbly in the Nehiyaw way. [Gift of art] came to me while reflecting on how thankful I was to be working with these seven incredible artists. Each “work of art” felt like a beautiful gift that was being shared with earth. Nanâskomitin. I am thankful. Each one of these [gifts of art] are to be honoured and cherished.

Top: Lauren Crazybull, Niitakahkayi, 2021, linen, beet crystal dye, acrylic paint, crushed mint. Courtesy of the artist and Latitude 53. Bottom:  Maria-Margaretta, As Long As the Sun Shines, Tan Ki L'Soleyl Briyl, 2021, embroidery and seed beads on Kokum scarf. Courtesy of the artist and Latitude 53.

Can you tell us a bit about the significance of not including English translations with these works?

ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ: In each [gift of art], it felt most important to highlight and honour the Indigenous languages without the inclusion of English. Colonization has caused many Indigenous people to have lost their ancestral languages. This show presents the Indigenous languages which come from this land. They need to be celebrated, appreciated, and held high. I keep thinking of the Indigenous folks in amiskwacîwâskahikan who will come across their language—how beautiful and special that moment will be.

In what ways does the revitalization of Indigenous language—specifically the writing system—help reclaim the historical narrative that has been taken away from Indigenous Peoples?

ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ: There is so much history and knowledge embedded in each language. Languages tell the story of our people. There have been many times I have asked my Kokum and Nimama to translate my writings for me, and there is always a transfer of knowledge, a teaching that is shared. Indigenous people have been speaking their languages for hundreds of years. Our languages and cultures were ripped from us through colonization and the residential school system, yet today many of our languages survived. I am so thankful to the resilience of our people and the survival of our languages.

What has the experience been like transitioning from the role of artist to the role of [care]rator?

ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ: Having an artist practice previously and going into curation was an interesting transition. Although they are very interconnected, I found the role of [care]rator to be much different than that of an artist. I’ve tried my best to navigate this space and position I hold with gentleness. I am so honoured to be able to be part of this exhibition and thankful to Missy LeBlanc for sharing this concept with me. Seeing these [gifts of art] installed and Indigenous languages celebrated has brought me such joy.

Top:  Taran Kootenhayoo, D.I.Y, 2019, still from film. Courtesy of the artist and Latitude 53. Bottom:  Edna Elias, Expressions of Elation, 2021, sealskin, melton, embroidery threads, beads, printed on dibond. Courtesy of the artist and Latitude 53.

One of the conversations around this exhibition focuses on the transmission of knowledge that is lost when people are taken away from their “normal.” With the world experiencing a global pandemic and temporary loss of their “normals,” what do you hope people will better understand about what happens when that loss spans generations?

ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ: Many Indigenous folks have lost their languages, causing the loss of knowledge and Indigenous ways of being. There was a moment in my life when I was going through a difficult time and I was trying to find the words to express how I was feeling. I couldn’t find the words. Then it hit me—I did not have access to the right words, the Nehiyaw words. The beautiful thing about language is it can be revitalized. With the survival of these languages, we now have the ability to learn them. I am so thankful for those who have fought to keep them alive. With the world experiencing a global pandemic, I hope that these [gifts of art] bring people hope. These are very difficult times, and I hope this show will bring people the light they need.

 Can you share a little about the cultural importance of the act of giving and how it relates to your work?

ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ: The act of giving is a very important aspect of the Indigenous way of knowing and being. This is why I referred to the seven Indigenous art works as [gifts of art]. There is so much shared and gifted to the audience who comes upon it. Many people may not even be aware of what the languages of this land are, and that in itself is a gift. Acknowledging those who have been here hundreds of years and the languages which flow through them is necessary.

What do you hope the public will take away from this [gift of art]?

ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ: There is so much knowledge, beauty and power shared in each of these public [gifts of art]. Each work communicates an important message:

ᑌᐸᑯᐦᑊ Gifts of Art Inuk joy, love, and kindness, dancing in the northern lights Singing with the Nehiyaw ancestors, Kisemanitow brings hope Lands of Sikohkotoki, Honour Nitsiipowahsiin Beads radiate Michif love and light, as long as the sun shines Magic found in one another, translated into denesųłiné Loss of language, transcendent Nahkawiwin Ancestral knowledge and tradition, honouring two spirited youth

Nanâskomitin, I am so thankful to Edna Elias, Carol Powder & Cikwes, Lauren Crazybull, Maria-Margaretta, Taran Kootenhayoo, jaye simpson, and Wanahae for each one of your [gifts of art]. I am so thankful to the Indigenous languages for being part of this. I am honoured.

Visit latitude53.org to discover where each artwork is located in downtown Edmonton/amiskwacîwâskahikan and here to read Cheyenne Rain LeGrande’s full curatorial statement.

Artist and Curator, Cheyenne Rain LeGrande ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ. Photo supplied.

Cheyenne Rain LeGrande ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ

Cheyenne Rain LeGrande ᑭᒥᐊᐧᐣ is a Nehiyaw Isko artist, from Bigstone Cree Nation. She currently resides in Amiskwaciy Waskahikan, also known as Edmonton, Alberta. Cheyenne graduated from Emily Carr University with her BFA in Visual Arts in 2019. Her work often explores history, knowledge, and traditional practices. Through the use of her body and language, she speaks to the past, present, and future. Cheyenne’s work is rooted in the strength to feel, express, and heal. Bringing her ancestors with her, she moves through installation, photography, video, sound, and performance art.

Acknowledgements

Mamanaw Pekiskwewina | Mother Tongues was originally conceived by Missy LeBlanc for TRUCK Contemporary Art in Mohkínstsis/Kootsisáwa/Wincheesh-pah/Calgary and presented in concert with Taskoch pipon kona kah nipa muskoseya, nepin pesim eti pimachihew. The amiskwacîwâskahikan/Beaver Hills House/Edmonton iteration, Mamanaw Pekiskwewina | Mother Tongues: amiskwacîwâskahikan, is curated by Cheyenne Rain LeGrande for Latitude 53 and supported by TRUCK Contemporary Art.

Mamanaw Pekiskwewina: amiskwacîwâskahikan is supported by the Edmonton Arts Council and the City of Edmonton with funds from the Western Diversification Program, Canada Council for the Arts, and ATB Financial.