“These Tiny Helpers / Agaashiiwi-wiiji’iweg /  Ókik ká yá apisísisicik owícihiwéwak”

English / Ojibwe / Cree

Main Gallery / Niigaanateg / Mistikamik ká nókotániwaki kékwána

Artist / Mezinibii’iged / Otáspasinahikéw: Dee Barsy
These Tiny Helpers / Agaashiiwi-wiiji’iweg / Ókik ká yá apisísisicik owícihiwéwak

Opening Sept 6 at 8 till 11pm / Baakising Sept 6, 9 minik 1 izhiseg / Ta páskiténikátéw Sept 6 ispik 8 isko 11pm

Running dates Sept 6-Oct 26, 2019 / Ayizhiseg apii Sept 6 akoo Oct 26, 2019 akiiwang / Kita nókotaniwaki Sept 6-Oct 26, 2019

English / Ojibwe / Cree

Artist Statement

For this solo exhibition, Dee has transformed the gallery space into an immersive mural that features her unique visual language. This language is distinguished by her iconic blue background, her bright and contrasting colour palette, and her rhythmic lines and shapes. For this site-specific artwork, Dee has created abstract representations of various arachnids and insects that are native to the Manitoba area. These species include the Monarch Butterfly, the Red-Belted Bumblebee, the Field Cricket, the Common Green Darner Dragonfly, the Nine-Spotted Ladybug, the Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, the Jewel Spider, the Water Scorpion, and the Giant Water Bug.

These tiny helpers play an essential role in the rhythms of the natural environment.  For example: some insect species make contributions to the food system as natural prey for predatory amphibians and fish. Some predatory insect species regulate the populations of other insect species and some insect species assist with the decomposition cycle and the creation of fertile soil. Through this art project, Dee reflects on cyclical patterns, seasonal transformation, and the notion of interconnection. This artwork symbolizes the significance of our individual actions within the broader perspective of our social relationships and our communities.

Biography:
Dee is a local painter and Visual Arts Facilitator. In 2013, she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Manitoba. In 2016, she completed the Indigenous Women in Leadership course at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Dee is involved with local and national youth-serving organizations such as Winnipeg-based Graffiti Art Programming Inc. and Montreal-based N’we Jinan.
In September 2017, Dee was commissioned to create a painting and mural for the INSURGENCE/RESURGENCE exhibition at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The exhibition ran through April 2018 and featured the work of 29 emerging to established contemporary Indigenous artists from across Canada.

Dee’s work is included in the Global Affairs Visual Art Collection, the collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, and many private collections. Additionally, Dee’s artwork is showcased locally and internationally at Blueprint Inc., Johnston Group, and the Consulate General of Canada in New York and the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations in New York.

Ojibwe
Owe nishike-waabanda’iwewin, Dee ogii-inatoon biindig aaniin enaabandang odoozhichigewin. Owe inwaadang inwewining, odoozhaawashko enazinaatenig odaanaang, nanaandok ayinazinaatenig wenjibii’iged, nenaasaab obebezhibii’iganan dago.

Owe memindage odoozhichigan, ogii-mamazinibiiwaa bebakaan asabikeshii’ zhigwa manijoosha’ Manitoba akiing onji. Daabishkoo memengwaa, msko-aamoo, babapikens, oboodashkaanishii, zhaangaching mezinaazod manijoosh, dibiki-memengwaa, aakozinaazod asabikeshi, jiisaakowesi zhigwa gichi-manijoosh nibiing dezhiiked.

Waawiiji’iwewag ogo manijooshag ayizhiwebak bagwaji-aya’iing. Nashke, aanind ogo manijooshag odamogoowaa’ awesiwa’ zhigwa giigoowa.’ Aanind manijooshag ojaaginewaa’ aanind miinawaa manijoosha,’ mii wiiji’iwewag ji-ani-ozhishing azhishki gegoon ji-ani-minogingiban. Owe dash ozhichigewin, waabanda’iwe Dee aaniin gaagiitwaam memeshkwaji-izhiwebak, aaniin gaye ezhi-wiijiiwesemagakin. Mii dash owe ozhichigewin waabanjigaade aaniin endashiyang ji-gikendamangiban aaniin gegoon ezhi-waawiijiiwesegin eyaayang gaye.

Aweneniwiwin:
Gechiwaag omazinibii’ige Dee, niigaanishkang iwe Visual Arts gaa-ijigaadeg. 2013 gaa-akiiwang, ogii-giizhitoon iwe Bachelor of Fine Arts imaa onji Universtiy of Manitoba gekino’amaading. 2016 gaa-akiiwang, ogii-giizhitoon iwe Indigenous Women in Leadership mazina’igan imaa onji Banff Centre iwe onji Arts and Creativity gii-ijigaadeg. Waawiiji’iwe Dee gechiwaag zhigwa miziwekamig oshkaadizii’ onji, daabishkoo Graffiti Arts Programming Inc. zhigwa N’we Jinan imaa Montreal gichi-oodenaang.

September 2017 gaa-akiiwang, gii-mazina’ige’aa Dee ji-mazinibii’ang iwe INSURGENCE/RESURGENCE waabanda’iwewin imaa Winnipeg Art Gallery. April 2018 gaa-izhiseg, gii-waabanda’iwem Anishinaabeg odoozhichiganiwaan miziwe Canada.

Gii-waabanda’iwem Dee odoozhichiganan imaa Global Affairs Visual Arts Collection, eyaamagak imaa Winnipeg Art Gallery, zhigwa bebakaan genawenjigaadegin. Zhigwa miinawaa, Dee odoozhichiganan gii-waabanda’iwem gechiwaag zhigwa miziwekamig imaa Blueprint Inc., Johnston Group dago miinawaa Consulate General of Canada imaa New York oodenaang, zhigwa gaye imaa Permanent Mission of Canada, United Nations onji imaa miinawaa New York.

Cree
Óma káwí péyako nókotásot, Dee awa kí méskwatastáw anima ita ká tasi nócicikét kita nókotát anté isi otáspasinayikéwin éko ta nókotát anima ká isi píkiskwét kita nisitawinak kékwaniw ékoté isi. Anima ká isi nókotát opíkiskwéwin kakinaw misiwé é apasinayikaték é cipéhtakáwak, éko é nánatok isinákosiwina é ápacitát ta táspasinayak anihi ká iténitak é wawiyéyanik wéka éká é kawaskwánik ta ápacitát óma káwí isi nókotásot.

Óma óta ká isi nókotásot otáspasinayikéwina, Dee awa kí mámátáwi táspasinayikéw kita nókotát anima ká iténitak. Ké isinákosinit kókominákécíca éko kotakak mancósak óta ká itácik Manitoba. Ékota okok Kapápak (Monarch Butterfly), Kici ámó (Red-Belted Bumblebee), Kwá kwáscwacis (Field Cricket), Cowékalápisís (Common Green Darner Dragonfly), Mancós ká ákwasinásot (Nine Spotted Ladybug), Mancós (Hummingbird Clearwing Moth), Kokominákésís (Jewel Spider), Ocístahikéw (Water Scorpion), Nípik ká ayát mancós (Giant Water Bug).

Ékwanik ókik ká yá apisísicik mancósak wícihiwéwak tánisi óma ké ati ikik itátisiwin wanawítimik.  Tápiskóc óki: átit anikik mancósak é pakitinisocik kita nócihikocik éko kita mówikocik anikik nípik ká nócicikécik pisiskiwak, aníkisak éko nanátok kinoséwak ité ká ayácik. Átit anikik misti mancósak nócihéwak anikik ká apisísisinit mancósisa émówácik éká wésá táti miscétininit éko mína é písatakik anípiya éko maskosíya éko píkicétakwa é wícihikémakak óma asiskiy é osicikémakak. Óma ká isi nókotasot otáspasinayikéwin, Dee awa nókotáw ká isi pimátisímakaki kékwána, óma ká kákwéskiyépak éko tánisi óma kakinaw kékwána ési ániskówícicikémakaki kita oci pimácihocik. Óhi táspasinahikéwina ká isi nókotániwaki ékota anima é kakwé wápatinikoyak óma pá péyak ká isi nócicikéyak ékoté é isi kinawápacikáték óma tápitaw misiwé ká isi ákótowak kínanaw éko anté kititáwinánik.

Ácimisowin:
Dee awa óta oci otáspasinayikéw éko oníkánístamákéw é kiskinawámákét kita isi táspasinahikániwak.  Awa askíy 2013 kákí akimit, kí kísitáw anima okiskinawámákowin éko kí mínáw Bachelor of Fine Arts kici kiskinawátowi masinahikanos anté oci University of Manitoba. Awa askíy 2016, kákí akimit, ki natawi kísitáw Indigenous Women in Leadership kiskinawámákéwin nété Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.  Dee awa mína isi wícihiwéw óta oci oskátisa éko óma misiwéskamik ká paminácik oskátisa ta tasíkakik táspasinahikéwin anté isi ohi Winnipeg Graffiti Art Programming Inc. éko nété Montreal-based N’we Jinan.

Awa askíy 2017 kákí akimit, Dee awa ki masinahikéyáw kita ositát táspasinayikéwin é misák asicitak ta nókok éko INSURGENCE/RESURGENCE ta isinikátéw éko anté kikakí natawápatén Winnipeg Art Gallery ká itakik. Anihi nókotáwina anté kí astéwa April 2018 isko éko 29 mámaw otáspasinhikéwak wéká nanátok kékwána kákí ositácik ékota kí nókotaniwanwa ékospík éko misiwé kí ototéwak ékwanik óta Canada.

Dee anihi otáspasinahikéwina anté takonwa ta nókoki Global Affairs Visual Art Collection, éko anté ká máwacitániwaki Winnipeg Art Gallery, éko mína kotaká ká máwacitat péyak awiyak ékotowa wíkik. Éko mína, anihi Dee otáspasinahikéwina misiwé óta cíkic kí ná nókotániwanwa éko mína óté akámaskík Blueprint Inc, Johnston Group, éko mína anikik Consulate General of Canada nété New York éko mína anta anima Permanent Mission oci Canada anté United Nations in New York.

Urban Shaman: Contemporary Aboriginal Art Gallery acknowledges the support, throughout the year, of our friends, volunteers, community and all our relations, NCI FM, the Winnipeg Arts Council, the Manitoba Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts. 
~Miigwetch / Ekosi / Hai Hai / Merci / Thank you