From November 2023 to February 2024, Marjorie Yuzicappi’s 1970 “Tapestry (Tah-hah-sheena),” a familiar sight for visitors of the Archer Library’s main floor, was leant to the Mackenzie Art Gallery for the exhibition “Prairie Interlace: Weaving, Modernisms, and the Expanded Frame, 1960–2000,” a sprawling survey of innovative textile-based art on the Canadian Prairies from the second half of the twentieth century. The Yuzicappi piece is one of three monumental 70s tapestries which call the Archer Library home, with the other two also made by women artists of The Sioux Handcraft Co-operative from Standing Buffalo First Nation.
On August 9th, 2023, at the University’s College Avenue Campus, the newly refurbished and muchbeloved Joe Fafard cement and ceramic tile frog sculpture was officially unveiled (though rain prevented the ceremony from happening outside as originally intended.) The sculpture, originally made in 1971 as part of the Funk Art movement of the era, had fallen into disrepair in recent years and the lengthy restoration work had to be carefully considered and executed. Remarks were presented from David Dick (Dean of Media, Art & Performance), Ali King (Curator of the President’s Advisory Committee on Art), University President Dr. Jeff Keshen, and Joe Fafard’s widow Alyce Hamon. Ceremony attendees were treated to a large replica frog cake, created for the occasion by Queen City Cakes.
