Using Contemporary Art to Build Bridges Between Indigenous and Other Communities
Every one of Dr. Nadia Myre’s projects communicates something profoundly human and addresses issues related to identity, resilience and the politics of belonging.
As Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Material Practice, Myre is interested in how objects, ideas, history and knowledge are transmitted, mediated and mistranslated between different cultures. In an era of proposed reconciliation between the Canadian government and Indigenous peoples, her work aims to bridge gaps in understanding between communities.
Myre’s research is also creating cutting-edge scholarship in Indigenous art practice and fostering innovative developments in visual arts by bringing together ancestral and contemporary methods of working. Her goal is to facilitate meaningful exchanges between Indigenous peoples and other groups. Myre’s practice is fuelled by people-to-people contact and firsthand learnings and teachings.
Myre and her research team are comparing the histories of cross-cultural objects and ideas in European and Indigenous cultures. They are also initiating timely discussions of Indigenous rights and futures by exploring new pathways in a variety of media, such as fibres, ceramics, sculptures and photography. This work is furthering critical inquiry into material practices in visual art and transmitting knowledge to the next generation.