NATV 2000 / WOMN 2540 T01 NATIVE WOMEN AND THE ARTS
I started making things when I was around five. I grew up surrounded by people who made things all the time. From a very early age, I thought it was the work of people to make beautiful things
- Gail Tremblay (Onondaga, Mohawk and Mi’kmaq
The Kitanmax School of Northwest Coastal Art was started because we need to reclaim our traditional performance arts … Up until 1951 we couldn’t practice our arts because of the potlatch ban and the danger of going to jail. Once the potlatch law was lifted, we had to reclaim our arts by relearning them.
Doreen Jensen (Gitsxan)
Class location: TIER 312
Dates & Times: M-W-F 1:30am-2:20pm (January 5 – April 8)
Dr. Sherry Farrell Racette Office: Isbister Building 204-C (474-6720)
Office Hours: Wed. 2:45 – 4:30 pm, or by appointment
Email: itoba (preferred method of communication)
Please note: I only check my e-mail Monday-Friday 9am–5pm. Do not expect responses during evenings or weekends, and allow AT LEAST 24 hours for a reply. Please save copies of all e-mail correspondence.*
Course description: This is a special topics course exploring Native Women in the Arts with an emphasis on visual arts, performance and film. The first part of the course will be structured around the major exhibition Close Encounters: the next 500 Years (opening January 21) and a mini-film festival organized for this class. Noted film maker, and multi-media artist Shelley Niro (Mohawk) and documentary filmmaker Tasha Hubbard (Cree) are the invited guest artists for this course, courtesy of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program and The Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture.
This course is not organized in chronological order, rather we will begin with an immersion in current arts practices, then back-track to explore historic roots, traditional arts, pioneer artists, and the role of women artists in cultural continuity, activism and changing the face of contemporary art. This course will have an Angel site where readings, images and links related to lectures will be posted 24 hours prior to class, while Power Point presentations will be posted after class. Lecture notes will not be posted and will not be available from me.
PARTICIPATION IN JANUARY’S OUT-OF-CLASSROOM EVENTS IS A REQUIRED COMPONENT OF THIS COURSE. THIS INCLUDES CLOSE ENCOUNTERS AND FILM SCREENINGS.
COURSE TEXTS AND READINGS
Cynthia Chavez, Sherry Farrell Racette, eds. with Lara Evans, Art in Our Lives: Native Women Artists in Dialogue (SAR Press, 2010).
Identity by Design: Tradition, Change, and Celebration in Native Women’s Dresses (National Museum of the American, Smithsonian Institute, 2007).
Students will be assigned one - two readings per week, either from the course texts or readings that will be either distributed in class or posted on the course Angel Site 24 hours prior to discussion.
Key On-Line Resources:
Aboriginal Curatorial Collective http://www.aboriginalcuratorialcollective.org/
The Aboriginal Curatorial Collective is a professional association designed to advance Indigenous curatorial practice. Web site resources include online exhibitions, biographies and an extensive bibliography of curatorial and critical writing on Aboriginal art.
Beyond Buckskin: About Native American Fashion http://beyondbuckskin.blogspot.com/
A blog on contemporary Native fashion by Jessica Metcalfe, Turtle Mountain Chippewa and recent graduate from the Ph.D. program in American Indian Studies from the University of Arizona.
Identity by Design: Tradition, Change, and Celebration in Native Women’s Dresses
http://www.nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/identity_by_design/IdentityByDesign.html
Identity by Design originated as an exhibition at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D. C. In addition to the exhibition catalogue (our class text), there is also a website featuring highlights of the exhibiton, artists and curators.
Not Artomatic: a blog wrestling with art http://travelpeapod.wordpress.com/about/
A blog by Lara Evans, a Cherokee artist, professor, art historian and curator. See the “For Students Using This Site” on the right-hand menu of the home page.
COURSE EVALUATION:
Guidelines will be provided for each written assignment on a specified date. A hard copy of the guidelines will be posted on the Angel site 24 hours prior to that class.
Close Encounters Journal 15% JANUARY 28
Discussion Leader / Artist Talk 20% AS SCHEDULED
Participation / Hard Work 20%
Essay 25% APRIL 7
FINAL EXAM 20% TBA
Close Encounters Journal 15% Due January 28
You will attend as many of the events scheduled for the Close Encounters Exhibition as you can. Of particular importance are the artist panels, curator and artist talks. There will be some awesome male artists at this event, but stay focused on the women!
Guidelines will be discussed in class on Monday, January 17.
Discussion Leader / Artist Talk 20% As assigned (on going)
The discussion of women artists has been organized into four sections: 19th and early 20th Century Pioneers, Mid-20th Century Pioneers, Making a Noise: Banging on Doors and Movers and Shakers. Students will be assigned to a section (A-D) and will present during that section of the course. Students are responsible for developing a poster presentation on an assigned artist, and for taking a lead role in class discussion.
Guidelines will be discussed in class on Monday, January 10.
Participation / Hard Work 20%
This includes attendance, engagement on the Angel site, participation in class, attendance at class events, and helping out with class activities and events. Come to class prepared, ready to discuss the assigned readings. It is recommended that students prepare brief written summaries of assigned readings to prepare for class discussions. Students should organize their reading notes, summaries, questions generated during class, film screenings, artist talks etc. into a portfolio to be submitted as evidence of their level of participation. Ten percent of the total participation mark will be a self-assessment using a sound rationale, evidence and criteria I will provide you with.
Essay (2500 words) 20%
Suggested topics and guidelines for the essay will be distributed Monday, January 31.
Topic, outline, annotated bibliography due Monday, February 28
ESSAYS SUBMITTED WITHOUT AN APPROVED OUTLINE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
Final Exam 25%
The final exam will be based on information contained in reading assignments, class lectures, class discussions, and in-class screenings and visual presentations. All course materials “count.” In terms of format, expect a mixed bag, including such possibilities as short-answer questions, identifications, multiple choice, and essay questions.
Grading Scheme
A+ Exceptional (90-100%) C+ Satisfactory (65-69%)
A Excellent (80-89%) C Adequate (60-64%)
B+ Very Good (75-79%) D Marginal (50-59%)
B Good (70-74%) F Failure (less than 50%)
*Final grades subject to Program review*
Penalties and Course Policies
All assignments must be submitted in-class, by the end of that class, on the due date. ELECTRONIC COPIES, FAXED COPIES, OR WORK SLIPPED UNDER OR ATTACHED TO MY OFFICE DOOR WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. DO NOT EMAIL YOUR ASSIGNMENT. I WILL DISREGARD ASSIGNMENTS SO SUBMITTED. It is your responsibility to ensure that I receive, in person, your assignments on time. If you miss the due date, submit it the following class and accept the penalty of -2% for each day.
EXTENSIONS IN ADVANCE WILL ONLY BE GRANTED under exceptional circumstances for which documentation will be provided. If you realize you may have difficulty meeting the due dates please contact me as soon as possible so that we can discuss how to manage the time you allocate to this course.
No rewrites to improve grades will be allowed.
I WILL NOT RESCHEDULE DUE DATES TO ACCOMMODATE PERSONAL SCHEDULES.
Academic Dishonesty
Students should acquaint themselves with the University’s policy on plagiarism, cheating, exam personation, and duplicate submission (see Section 8: Academic Integrity, pp. 27-28, in the University of Manitoba Undergraduate Calendar 2010-2011).
Penalties for Academic Dishonesty
The common penalty in Arts for plagiarism on a written assignment is F on the paper and F (CW) (For Compulsory Withdrawal) for the course. For the most serious acts of plagiarism, such as the purchase of an essay and repeat violations, this penalty can also include suspension for a period of up to five years from registration in courses taught in a particular department in Arts or from all courses taught in this Faculty.
The Faculty also reserves the right to submit student work that is suspected of being plagiarized to Internet sites designed to detect plagiarism.
The common penalty in Arts for academic dishonesty on a test or examination is F for the paper and F (CW) for the course. For more serious acts of academic dishonesty on a test or examination, such as repeat violations, this penalty can also include suspension for a period of up to five years from registration in courses taught in a particular department in Arts or from all courses taught in this Faculty.
TOPIC OUTLINE:
January
Introduction: Native Women and the Arts
Behind the Camera: Native Women in Photography, Video and Film
Close Encounters: the Next 500 Years
Native Women in Vaudeville, Silent Film and Literary Performance (A)
February
Traditional Arts: Creativity, Identity and Economy (B&D)
The Culture Ban: When Art was Outlawed
THERE WILL BE NO CLASSES FEB. 14-18
March
Reclaiming Traditional Practice (B)
Where Were the Women? Government Policies and Expo ’67 (B)
Mid-Twentieth Century Pioneers (B)
Making a Noise: Fighting for Institutional Change (C)
Movers and Shakers (D)
April
Art and Healing (D)
Close Encounters: the Next 500 Years JANUARY 19-23
Close Encounters: the Next 500 Years is the Banner Project of ARTS FOR ALL, Winnipeg Cultural Capital of Canada 2010. This is a major arts event organized by Plug In Gallery. An intense schedule of openings, curatorial lectures and artist talks will take place from JANUARY 19-23. It provides a rare opportunity to meet / listen to/ view the work of the most important Indigenous women artists and curators, including artists from Australia and New Zealand, right here in Winnipeg:
Curators: Lee-Ann Martin (Mohawk), Candice Hopkins (Tlingit), Jenny Western (Metis), Rosalie Favell (Metis)
Artists: Mary Anne Barkhouse (Kwakwaka’wak), Faye HeavyShield (Kainawa), Nadia Myre (Algonquin), Rebecca Belmore (Ojibwe), Rosalie Favell …
MOST OF THE ARTISTS WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE
EVENTS:
7 p.m. Thursday, January 20
Rosalie Favell, Curatorial Lecture, Aqua Books, 274 Garry.
7 p.m. Friday, January 21
Exhibition opening, Acting Up! Performing the Indian, PLATFORM: Centre for Photographic and Digital Arts, 121-100 Arthur Street.
[Lori Blondeau, Shelley Niro, Jackie Traverse, Hulleah J. Tsinhnahjinnie. Also includes historic representations of Princess White Deer, Pauline Johnson, Molly Spotted Elk
Saturday January 22
Panel Discussions, Winnipeg Art Gallery, 330 Memorial Boulevard
10:30 Candice Hopkins, Mary Anne Barkhouse, Faye HeavyShield, Nadia Myre) 10:30
1:30 Rebecca Belmore, Lee-Ann Martin
EXHIBITION VENUES AND OPENINGS
Thursday, January 20 Nadia Myre: The Forgiveness Project (solo exhibition) La Maison des artistes visuels francophones, 219 boulevard Provencher.
Friday, January 21 Close Encounters: the Next 500 Years (main exhibition, 109 Pacific Avenue) Mary Ann Barkhouse, Colleen Cutschall (Oglala Lakota), Fiona Pardington (Maori), Marie Watts (Seneca)
Close Encounters: the Next 500 Years Plug-In Gallery, 460 Portage Avenue
Rebecca Belmore, Lisa Reihana (Maori), Skawennati Fragnetti (Mohawk)
Close Encounters: the Next 500 Years (Winnipeg Art Gallery)
Maria Theresa Alves (Brazil), Shuvinai Ashoona (Inuit), Faye HeavyShield, Tracey Moffatt (Australia)
Close Encounters: the Next 500 Years (Manitoba Museum, 190 Rupert Ave.
Rosalie Favell (Metis)
Close Encounters: the Next 500 Years (Manitoba Hydro, Head Office, 360 Portage Avenue)
KC Adams
ARTISTS FOR DISCUSSION LEADER / ARTIST TALKS
GROUP A NINETEENTH – EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY PIONEERS
1. Jane Johnson Schoolcraft (Ojibwa, 1800-1842)
2. Carolina Go-won-go Mohawk (Mohawk, circa 1860-1924)
3. E. Pauline Johnson (Mohawk, 1861-1913)
4. Angel De Cora (Ho-chunk, 1871-1919)
5. Princess Redwing (Ho-chunk, 1883-1974)
6. Princess White Deer (Mohawk, 1891-1992)
7. Columbia Eneutseak (Labrador Inuit, 1893-1959)
8. Molly Spotted Elk (Penobscot, 1903-1977)
GROUP B MID-TWENTIETH CENTURY PIONEERS
9. Maria Campbell (Metis)
10. Doreen Jensen (Gitskan)
11. Rosalie Jones (Chippewa)
12. Kenojuak (Inuit)
13. Ellen Neel (Kwakwaka’wakw)
14. Daphne Odjig (Odawa)
15. Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki)
16. Jessie Oonark (Inuit)
17. Buffy Sainte Marie (Cree)
18. Maria Tallchief (Osage)
19. Marion Tuu’luq (Inuit)
GROUP C MAKING A NOISE: BANGING ON DOORS
20. Jane Ash Poitras (Cree/Metis)
21. Rebecca Belmore (Ojibwa)
22. Joanne Cardinal Schubert (Blackfoot)
23. Candice Hopkins (Tlingit)
24. Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Flathead/Shoshone/Cree-Metis)
25. Lee-Ann Martin (Mohawk)
26. Nancy Marie Mithlo (Apache
27. Marie Mumford (Metis)
28. Spiderwoman Theater
GROUP D MOVERS AND SHAKERS
29. KC Adams (Metis)
30. Mary Anne Barkhouse (Kwakwaka’wakw)
31. Lori Blondeau (Cree/Metis)
32. Dana Claxton (Lakota)
33. Marie Clements (Metis)
34. Hannah Claus (Mohawk)
35. Ruth Cuthand (Cree)
36. Thirza Cuthand (Cree)
37. Patricia Deadman (Tuscarora)
38. Tracey Deer (Mohawk)
39. Lita Fontaine (Saulteaux/Dakota)
40. Danis Goulet (Metis)
41. Carol Greyeyes (Cree)
42. Rosalie Favell (Metis)
43. Faye HeavyShield (Blood)
44. Maria Hupfield (Ojibwa)
45. Margot Kane (Cree/Saulteaux)
46. Cheryl L’Hirondelle (Metis)
47. Sonya Kelliher-Combs (Inupiak/ Athapaskan)
48. Sandra Laronde (Ojibwa)
49. Erica Lord (Athapaskan/Yupik/ Japanese/Finnish)
50. Tanya Lukin Linklater (Alutiq)
51. Teresa Marshall (Mik’maq)
52. Monique Mojica (Kuna, Rappahannock)
53. Nadia Myre (Algonquin)
54. Marianne Nicholson (Kwakwaka’wakw)
55. Annie Pootoogook (Inuit)
56. Skeena Reece (Tsimshian/Gitskan/Cree/Metis)
57. Santee Smith (Mohawk)
58. Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie (Muskogee /Seminole/Dine)
59. Tania Willard (Metis)
60. Jolene Yazzie (Dine)
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF RECOMMENDED READINGS AND RESOURCES
THE WOMAN IN NATIVE WOMEN AND THE ARTS
Farrell Racette, Sherry. “This Fierce Love”: Gender, Women and Art Making in Cynthia Chavez Lamar, Sherry Farrell Racette and Lara Evans eds. Art in Our Lives: Native Women Artists in Dialogue (Santa Fe: SAR Press, 2010): 27-58.
“I Call Their Names in Resistance”: Writing Aboriginal Women into Canadian Art History, 1880-1970 in Kristina Huneault and Janet Anderson, eds. Rethinking Professionalism: Essays on Women and Art in Canada, 1850-1970 (McGill- Queens Press, forthcoming 2011).
Gray, Viviane. A Culture of Art: Profiles of Contemporary First Nations Women Artists in Gail Gutherie Valaskakis, Madeleine Dion Stout and Eric Guimond, eds. Restoring the Balance: First Nations Women, Community and Culture (University of Manitoba Press, 2005): 267-282.