Grenfell Campus Art Gallery hosted an opening reception for Jordan Bennett: Wije’wi (Come with Me) recently.
Wije’wi (Come with Me) consists of paintings on wood, a series of drawings and two carvings in yellow cedar with an interactive audio component.
The artist uses known Beothuk and Mi’kmaq visual patterns, symbols and colours to create landscapes which represent the island of Ktaqamkuk (Newfoundland).
Mr. Bennett, BFA’08, conducted research at several institutions, including the Museum of History in Ottawa,Ont., and The Rooms in St. John’s.
“Through observing and spending time with Beothuk as well as Mi’kmaq objects, I’ve created a series of landscapes that aim to tell the story and journey of our people on the island of Ktaqamkuk (Newfoundland),” he says in the exhibit artist’s statement.
A Mi’kmaw multidisciplinary visual artist from Stephenville Crossing, N.L., Mr. Bennett received his bachelor of fine arts from Memorial and a master of fine arts from the University of British Columbia in 2016.
1/ gep't'g/Frozen Over
One of the artworks from Jordan Bennett: Wije'wi (Come with Me) at Grenfell Campus Art Gallery.
2/ Nisqunamuk-kmtn
One of the artworks from Jordan Bennett: Wije'wi (Come with Me) at Grenfell Campus Art Gallery.
3/ Pear-Shaped Purse
One of the artworks from Jordan Bennett: Wije'wi (Come with Me) at Grenfell Campus Art Gallery.
He has exhibited his work extensively in venues throughout Canada, including solo exhibitions at the Vernon Public Art Gallery in Vernon, B.C., Trinity Video Square in Toronto, Ont., and SNAP Gallery in Edmonton, Alta.
He has also exhibited his work internationally in venues such as the Campbelltown Art Centre in New South Wales, Australia; Galleria Ca’Rezzonico in Venice, Italy, as part of Newfoundland and Labrador’s contribution to the Venice Biennale, and the Arab World Institute in Paris, France.
His work was included in Beat Nation, De-Colonize Me and Changing Hands: Art without Reservation, both of which toured extensively. He was the recipient of the 2017 Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council Artist of the Year Award.
He was awarded the Aboriginal Graduate Scholarship from the University of British Columbia and long-listed for the Sobey Art Award in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
