In 2022 we acquired three new artworks by Indigenous artists, as part of the Annual Acquisition of Indigenous Artwork program. Mother and son duo, Judy and Cruz Anderson (Nêhiyaw) collaborated on the enigmatic black-on-black beadwork, Dawn (2022), joining previous work by both artists in the collection. Surviving: COVID-19 No. 3 (81/100) (2022) by Ruth Cuthand (Plains Cree/ Scottish/ Irish) brings her renowned virus series up-to-date with vibrant petri-dish beadwork. We were excited for the inclusion of Brody Burns’ (Nêhiyaw) Awareness (2021) as the first augmented reality artwork in the collection. Blending traditional and modern techniques, Burns’ reimagines traditional knowledge in his own way. Awareness examines the physical and spirit worlds, the history of art and abstraction, and states of energy. This large-scale and immersive work moves, vibrates, and appears in three dimensions when viewed through the Artvive app.

All works from the Annual Acquisition of Indigenous Artwork can be viewed at the College Avenue campus.