d ᐦᐸᑌᔨᒣᐤ | kohpâtêyimêw | In Contempt
d ᐦᐸᑌᔨᒣᐤ | kohpâtêyimêw | In Contempt
Running October 22, 2022 to November 25, 2022.
Opening Reception October 21, 6pm to 8pm.
Trigger Warnings: Sexual violence, sexual content, references to medical settings, institutional and colonial violence.
Translated from Cree as the act of being contemptible, Aiyana Joe Wood’s multidisciplinary exhibition visualizes the nuances of her identity as an Indigenous trans femme woman and sheds light on her childhood spent in institutions that were established to subvert her autonomy and humanity.
At its core, “In Contempt” acts as a tribute to agency. Aiyana challenges the vilification of her embodiment; her strength and resilience are marked through minimalist aesthetics and bold interventions. The artworks act as an investigation of Aiyana’s past, an attempt to make sense of her fragmented memories and gain understanding through art and process. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in a contemporary Indigenous experience and question their positionality and privilege in relation to the First Peoples of these lands.
To the visitors of this exhibit, the artist hopes that her survival will give hope to others on their individual journeys in life and reassure them that there is strength in appreciating where they are and being okay with who they are. To her past, present and future self, Aiyana says, “I love you the way you are.”
Exhibition Pictures
Exhibition Pictures courtesy of Sara Faridamin. Click here to visit her Instagram page.
