First Nations artist brings art and storytelling to McMaster

As part of the University’s Perspectives on Peace activities, the Museum of Art in partnership with the Indigenous Studies Program presents Elizabeth Doxtater’s Art of Peace exhibition and events.

Born and raised on the Six Nations Grand River Territory, Doxtater uses cornhusk as an artistic medium to express key parts of traditional Haudenosaunee stories and culture. She creates elaborate dioramas of cornhusk dolls to symbolize the ratification of the Great Law as well as the Journey of the Peacemaker.

The monumental centrepiece of this exhibition is First Council Fire, an installation of 100 figures—50 representing clan mothers and 50 representing chiefs encircling the Tree of Peace.

“Everyone in the world sees The Last Supper, for example, and on some level knows what it is supposed to represent,” she says. “I asked myself, where’s ours? If we had something, what would it be made of, what would it look like? As an art form, cornhusk is a pure catalyst to our ancestors.”

In conjunction with her exhibition, which continues until April 2, Doxtater will be presenting a series of free public events at the Museum.

Her artist talk is January 21 at 12:30 pm.

She will also be presenting all ages Storytelling Sessions for Hamilton Winterfest: February 6 and 13, 1-3 pm. To register for one of these storytelling events, contact Nicole Knibb at the Museum, knibbn@mcmaster.ca.

An exhibition brochure is available with introduction by Rick Monture (Six Nations / McMaster University, Academic Director, Indigenous Studies, Assistant Professor of English & Cultural Studies) and texts by the artist. The texts are being translated into French and Cayuga.