These Gifts, 2020.

~ Original work for the Planetary: Group Exhibition, January 23 – April 26 2020, Contemporary Calgary, Calgary, AB.~

Namaakii Bee Bear Hat brought this work together while on the Collider self-directed residency facilitated by Contemporary Calgary at their new space in Calgary’s former Planetarium. Photography and text-based work have been Bear Hat’s most essential mediums when making work, but with the opening of a new space, she wanted to move in a similar trajectory. These Gifts explores the stories and memories attached to the functional gifts passed down to her over the years. The gifts themselves are essential tools for being out on the land, their importance is something Bear Hat wanted to communicate. This project reciprocates the care Bear Hat has received from her family and continues the journey of making identity work through the lessons and skills embedded into these gifts. Bear Hat created a body of work that is a part of Mohkinstsis rich history and that no matter how much we change, this land still needs caregivers.

* Due to unresolved ethical issues and COVID-19 this work was taken out of the Planetary exhibition by Namaakii Bear Hat. Please see links page for the full statement.