This article was originally written by Emily Wright, published by the Kingstonist, and featured on their website www.kingstonist.com. We are sharing it here for reference.
Métis artist collaborates with LodgePole Arts Alliance and Hotel Wolfe Island for art installation
Hotel Wolfe Island is inviting community members to view a new free art installation by Métis artist and educator, Dr. Carleigh Candice Mignonne Milburn, exploring the relationships between humans, animals, and the more-than-human world.
Developed in partnership with Dr. Milburn, LodgePole Arts Alliance (LPAA), and Hotel Wolfe Island, ‘In Conversations with…’ explores how materials, objects, and environments shape our shared experiences and
responsibilities.
LPAA is a non-profit which organizes Indigenous artistic events in Kingston/Katarokwi and the surrounding regions. Dr. Milburn works in mediums such as textiles, sculpture, and digital media.
Her practice integrates Indigenous methodologies with contemporary artmaking. She is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Indigenous Teacher Education Program at Queen’s University. Originally from Niagara Falls, she’s been living in Kingston for 10 years.
“The relationship with Lodgepole Arts Alliance developed organically through community connections and shared interests in supporting Indigenous arts and culture… Our conversations were initially connected to my ongoing research-creation project, Making Sense of Decolonization, as well as projects associated with my non-profit organization, Modern Métis Woman,” wrote Dr. Milburn in an email to Kingstonist.
“Through these discussions, Dr. Brennan [executive director at LPAA] shared that Lodgepole Arts Alliance was interested in collaborating with artists, which ultimately led to the development of the Wolfe Island exhibition and installation project.”
The installation includes six artworks ranging from sculpture and painting to beadwork and interactive sculpture. The two featured artworks are paintings entitled ‘Always Listen to Heron’ and ‘Raspberry Relations: Let’s Reconcile Amidst the Bushes’.
“When creating this work, I think not only about the themes I want to explore, but also about how art can be situated within a particular environment and community. I am interested in how artworks can reflect the places they inhabit and the relationships that emerge through spending time in those spaces,” Dr. Milburn wrote.
“While visiting Wolfe Island, I spent time observing the landscape and wildlife. One moment that stayed with me was watching a heron catch a fish along the shoreline. It was a powerful reminder of the relationships that exist between land, water, animals, and the people who share those spaces. The heron ultimately became a central inspiration for the exhibition.”
Milburn shared that each piece was made specifically for the installation, responding to her experiences on Wolfe Island.
“Much of my work is inspired by both natural and artificial systems and the relationships that emerge between people, animals, environments, technologies, and the unseen connections that shape our experiences,” Dr. Milburn explained.
“I am particularly interested in exploring the spaces where these relationships intersect and the ways they influence how we understand ourselves and the world around us.”
“Connecting with community is one of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist, second only to creating the work itself. I hope the meet and greet provides an opportunity for meaningful conversations, relationship building, and the sharing of stories,” Dr. Milburn expressed.
“I always enjoy hearing how people connect with the artwork and learning about the perspectives, experiences, and interpretations they bring to it. Those conversations often become an important part of the artwork’s life beyond the gallery or exhibition space.”
This September, Dr. Milburn will begin her appointment as the Rebanks Postdoctoral Fellow in Art and Culture at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, conducting research related to Indigenous material culture and museum collections.