Reviewed by Shirley Bear COL O “Whose Story is it Anyway?” S. Cross “N'gud whewest" or “Freedom of Expression Within a House of Higher Learning” (University, College, or Institute), a;place where rson is encouraged to a Friar de Landa (1524- from Spain on-one of ttempted to decipher the te: “We-found a large acters and, as they con- ot to be seen‘as supersti- urned them.all, which n amazingdegree and number tained n tion and iA would express surprise at the original people of Mexico) is time, but that it continues to to understand. Colonialism still the regret of th understandable happen is really exists. : ; they are now titled, are the his- stic books of the Maya. are not Maya. Each new inter- rt. Colonialism continues pertise of others. In this blatant es of the original people of the , and the records of the sci- agriculture, astronomy and ‘oyed. : author of €annibal: Culture, power, and the ability. to con- IIfully becomes.the most.desir- able aspect of p Her ability to equate the peat structure of the € sts as cannibalistic is indeed © intriguing as a metaphor for the way authority. deter- mines what is acceptable and valuable, acceptable to whom and to what determinate value. Her premise is... that “Fat Eaters" have the right to all the fats of the world. Nietzsche identified authority as a cold monster (cannibal) who feeds off lies and destruction so that they, the authority or the state, will continue to protect their inheritance by continuing to perpetuate the rigid predetermined set of values and consume any other value system within their rules and regulations. State exists through lies. Deborah Root writes, “State pro- duces and consumes fear. The individual becomes her own police force: her own imaginary torturer. And thus the social order reproduces itself: if anything can hap- pen, then it is better to tow the line. This is another example of the way power pacifies by intermittently allowing a glimpse of its face, a sight that invariably stuns the people into fearful silence and submission." writes, “Consu sume excessivel ress ideas without repres- ache ~piece, was considered too defaming. Cartoonist and political artist Lars Cuzner, wh NIALIS M™ A student art exhibition titled “Colonialism” curated by Peter Morin and Daina Warren, two students at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, opened on December 9, 1999, minus one exhibitor’s work. After some lengthy and heated negotiations with the President of the Institute, the work was re-mounted on Joel Baturin’s” Paternalist”, a a straightforward pd atti through a photocopied portra taken from a newsletter, was removed from the exhibition because Baturin's work, Institute's President ran other artist's tends Nietzsche's “History projects the moved from the walls to protect defama- philosophy through his art, is constant in his questioning of the State and power. colonist defending his right to righteousness.” In an apology he was.told that the of the Concourse Gallery because the political climate was too Bish and that the tion of names. 's sense of under- ense of who we are curricula of this coun- s the viewer much insight into:a Canad . We continue to rely on media to infl d by paternalism within the teaching in nts. History, whether it ‘is art, social o e and distort the accomplishment torical facts are correctly included jot enough for the scholars to expo must walk the talk. | ry facet of all curricula ir self-righteous rk of Noganosh, Poitrais (Ed), It seems that very little has char hl, Belanger and Biel says, a practicing and blatant state- san O'Bryan's times, farming, dyke e increasing colonial population. ‘a mages, photographs atid ceramics concept ‘om diverse experi- olores Dallas titled ross titled E". “Welfare painful unwritten his- “Dear Mom, Do You See Me In The Crowd?” and large ceramic wampum beads by $ “Colonialism, Whose Story?” were answered by Heather. Howe's white canvas stamps Blanket" by Val Gomez evokes images of brutal historical experiences and reminds me « ~~ tory of the smallpox blankets received as gifts. Peter Morin's photo images of ancestors and the stories infused and superimposed onto his own image insist on answering a question of responsibility. David Y Khong’s “Globalopoly” magnifiés-this question in his recreation-of the monopoly board game where the various squares of purchase are — .turned into excessive violencé toward the colonized."Dominic Hon Chan's photograph of chickens in wire cages reminds r me sy! the exodus of people pease home countries. The exhibition simply titled “Colonialism” becomes complex when viewed from intellectual translations through art images. The issue of colonialism is continuous and the work presented in this exhibit would fill volumes which is not possible at the moment due to space and time constraints. | congratulate all the artists for the amount of thought and effort expended in their creations, you all know who you are. The final piece that | viewed which is a painting titled “SILENCE” by Ron Denessen, reflects in my mind the words of Deborah Root, “the cannibalized are stunned into fearful silence and submission” . Reviewed by Shirley Bear COLO “Whose Story is it Anyway?” S. Cross “N'gud whewest” or “Freedom of Expression Within a House of Higher Learning” (University, College, or Institute), a place where a/person is encouraged to investigate, cogitate and express ideas without repres- sion, is a rare liberty, Frlat Diego de Landa Friar de Landa (1524- 1579), a Bishoplwho laived from Spain on one of Christopher Columbus! ships, attempted to decipher the codices later in his life and wrote: “We found a large number of books in’ haracters and, as they con- tion and lies of the devil, we burned them all, which they (the Maya) regretted to an amazing degree and which caused them much affiction.” ‘That Friar de Landa would express surprise at the regret of the Maya (the original people of Mexico) is understandable for that time, but that it continues to happen is really difficult to understand. Colonialism still exists. The Codices as they are now titled, are the his- torical, scientific and artistic books of the Maya. Researchers and scholars are still baffled by the con- tents. Most interpreters are not Maya. Each new inter- preter becomes an expert. Colonialism continues through the assumed expertise of others. in this blatant destruction of the libraries of the original people of the Americas, the ay, and the recon ofthe s- ences such as cine, agriculture, astronomy and mathematics were destroyed. Deborah Root, author of Cannibal Culture, writes, “Consumption is power, and the ability to con- sume excessively and willfully becomes.the most desir- able aspect of power” Her ability to equate the power structure of the calonialists as cannibalistic is indeed intriguing as a metaphor for the way authority deter- mines what is acceptable and valuable, acceptable to whom and to what determinate value. Her premise is. that “Fat Eaters" have the right to all the fats of the world. Nietzsche identified authority as a cold monster (cannibal) who feeds off lies and destruction so that they, the authority or the state, will continue to protect their inheritance by continuing to perpetuate the rigid predetermined set of values and consume any other value system within their rules and regulations. State exists through lies. Deborah Root writes, "State pro- ‘duces and consumes fear. The individual becomes her ‘own police force: her own imaginary torturer. And thus the social order reproduces itself: if anything can hap- pen, then it is better to tow the line. This is another ‘example of the way power pacifies by intermittently allowing a glimpse of its face, a sight that invariably stuns the people into fearful silence and submission.” NIALIS M A student art exhibition titled “Colonialism” curated by Peter Morin and Daina Warren, two students at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, opened on December 9, 1999, minus one ex! r’s work. After some lengthy and heated negotiations with the President of the Institute, the work was re-mounted on the wall framed by two amateur artists, most uncomplimentary to the piece but most revealing of institutional power paranoia. Joel Baturin's “Paternalist”, a straightforward statement through a photocopied portrai Institute's President taker from a newsletter, was removed from the exhibition because Baturin’s work, A for an other artist's piece, was considered too defaming. Cartoonist and political artist Lars Cuzner, whose work extends Nietzsche's philosophy through his art, is constant in his questioning of the State and power. Guzner says, “History projects the colonist defending his right to righteousness.” In an apology he was.told that the work was femoved from the walls ‘of the Concourse Gallery because the political climate was tog high, and that there Was a need to protect defama- tion of names. = standing, or lack of, the effects of colonialism. We continue to rely on media to influence our sense of who we are as a Nation. The negative impact perpetuated by paternalism within the teaching institutions’ curricula of this coun- try/caninibalizes the minds of most of thélstidents. History, whether itis art, social or cultural, is still riddled with assumptions and attitudes that continue to negate and distort the accomplishment of the Original people of this Continent. This malaise will continue until the historical facts are correctly included within every facet of all curricula within all the institutions in North America. It is not enough for the scholars to expound in their self-righteous thetoric that they ate sensitive human beings; they must walk the talk. This e€lectic mix of ideas on colonialism gives the viewer much insight into\a ame sense of under- Walking through the exhibit, I'm reminded of the work of Noganosh, Poitrais (Ed), Tsa-Me-Gahl, Belanger and “other First Nation politcal artists in the 70's and 80's. It seems that very little has changed. As Biel says, a practicing First Nations artist, “Colonialism still exists; colonialism still burns; colonialism is still wrong.” Rick Campbells dart board and mobile of screw-pointed darts and Haisla Collins’ bold painting and blatant state- ment of a colonial demon address issues of the loss of land and resources. The paintings of Susan O'Bryan's “Grasslands, Crops, Living" and Mary Winter's “The Logger” glorify and romanticize colonial times, farming, dyke building and land draining used to “feed the increasing colonial population." Installations, carvings, paintings, digitized images, photographs and ceramics conceptt rom diverse experi- ences filled the Concourse Gallery. A white canvas containing aslightly off-center red dot by Dolores Dallas titled “Dear Mom, Do You See Me In The Crowd?” and large ceramic wampum beads by Sondra Cross titled “Colonialism, Whose Story?” were answered by Heather Howe's white canvas stamped "MINE". “Welfare Blanket” by Val Gomez evokes images of brutal historical experiences and reminds me of the painful unwritten his- tory of the smallpox blankets received as gifts. Peter Morin’s photo images of ancestors and the stories infused and superimposed onto his own image insist on answering a question of responsibility. David Y Khong’s “Globalopoly” magnifies this question in his recreation of the monopoly board game where the various squares of purchase are turned into excessive violence toward the colonized. Dominic Hon Chan's photograph of chickens in wire cages reminds me of the exodus of people from home countries. The exhibition simply titled “Colonialism” becomes complex when viewed from intellectual translations through art images. The issue of colonialism is continuous and the work presented in this exhibit would fil volumes which is not possible at the moment due to space and time constraints. | congratulate all the artists for the amount of thought and effort expended in their creations, you all know who you are. The final piece that | viewed which is a painting titled “SILENCE” by Ron Denessen, reflects in my mind the words of Deborah Root, “the cannibalized are stunned into fearful silence and submission” 23_@