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Ancestral Mindscapes was an autobiographical collaboration using video, sound and photography to explore the intersection of madness, indigeneity, colonialism, environmental destruction and the healing power of nature.
Held at Tangled Art + Disability, September 13–October 25, 2019, the exhibition was a collaboration between Rick Miller, who self-identifies as a Mad artist in discovery of his Indigenous ancestry; Jules Koostachin, a Cree artist and academic; and Geneviève Thibault, a Gaspésienne photographer.
A flyer featuring orange text that reads “ANCESTRAL MINDSCAPES. Rick Miller, Jules Koostachin, Geneviève Thibault. TANGLED ART GALLERY, 401 Richmond St W S 122, September 13-October 25, 2019”. The text is overlaid on an image of a person with a white beard floating on their back in an expanse of blue-green water.An open booklet sits on a light–colored wooden surface. It has headings in yellow followed by black paragraphs explaining various parts of the exhibition.
It reads:
“ABOUT THE EXHIBITION:
Ancestral Mindscapes is an autobiographical collaboration using video, sound and photography to explore the intersection of Madness, Indigeneity, colonialism, environmental destruction and the healing power of nature. Ancestral Mindscapes is a visual narrative of pain, resilience, and hope. Unearthing the past is a difficult journey of unforeseen events, reflection, and realization. Ancestral landscapes, haunting spaces, and healing waterways invites one to dance with the unknown. Ancestral Mindscapes is a collaboration between Rick Miller; Jules Koostachin; and Geneviève Thibault.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
RICK MILLER
Rick Miller self-identifies as Mad, using photography and video to make sense of his Madness. He has a Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Media and teaches Mad Art in Toronto. Rick created Ancestral Mindscapes in an attempt to come to terms with the suicidal impulses he still struggles with. By returning to his ancestral homeland of Gaspé, Rick hopes to reconcile his memories of an idyllic childhood with the depressed teen who was obsessed with thoughts of suicide. Rick would like to acknowledge grants he has received from the Ontario Arts Council as well as the Workman Arts Norman & Marsha Paul Family Trust.
JULES KOOSTACHIN
Cree from the ancestral lands of Moshkeko, and a band member of Attawapiskat First Nation, Jules was born in Moose Factory, Ontario where she was raised by her Cree grandparents, as well as with her mother in Ottawa. In 2010, she completed a MFA in Documentary Media at Ryerson University where she was awarded an Award of Distinction and an Academic Gold Medal. She is a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia with a focus on Indigenous documentary practices. Jules’ company VisJuelles Productions Inc., has a number of projects in development. Jules has been working with Indigenous communities for many years, supporting Indigenous women and children who face barriers. Her practice sheds light on socio-political issues that urban and rural Indigenous peoples face.
GENEVIÈVE THIBAULT
Geneviève’s interest in humanity and culture first led her to study and work in the field of tourism. Curious and addicted to travel, she developed a great love for people’s stories. After moving back to her hometown, Matane, Québec, she completed a photography program at Cégep de Matane, where she now teaches, and then a multidisciplinary bachelor’s degree at Université Laval. Combining ethnological and artistic approaches, the projects Geneviève creates start with observing reality and become a subtle interpretation of the world that surrounds her. Geneviève is particularly captivated by the quotidian, the ways we inhabit daily life and occupy space, and the traces left by culture. Her work, which combines photography and sound, has been exhibited in solo and group shows in Canada and Europe.
EVENTS AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS
EXHIBITION DATES:
September 13 – October 25, 2019
OPENING RECEPTION:
September 13, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
ARTIST TALK + SECOND SATURDAY SOCIAL:
October 12, 2:00-4:00 PM
LOCATION:
Tangled Art Gallery S-122
401 Richmond St. W
RENDEZVOUS WITH MADNESS FILM SCREENING PRESENTED BY WORKMAN ARTS:
October 12, 2019
LOCATION:
AGO’s Jackman Hall
317 Dundas St. W
MORE INFORMATION
For more information on Ancestral Mindscapes, visit tangledarts.org or find Tangled on social media at @TangledArtsTO and @Tangled_Arts.
SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
Logos for the Canada Council for the Arts, TD Bank, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, City of Toronto, Workman Arts, and Bodies in Translation are shown here.”Center frame is a white wall with large, black text presenting the name of the exhibition, “ANCESTRAL MINDSCAPES.” Below that are the names of the artists, “Rick Miller, Geneviève Thibault, Jules Koostachin.” In smaller text below these names is the timeframe of the exhibition “September 13 – October 25, 2019” There is more text on the bottom half of the wall referring Crisis Support Resources on either side of a white pedestal in front of the wall. The pedestal has a small artwork tag stuck on the front and a small, light brown box on top of it. On the left of the frame is another wall, this one with two white-framed pictures being displayed. Part of a glass door can be seen on the right of the frame.The image is looking angled from above at a small open wooden box of grey sand. A person wearing a string bracelet puts their left hand into the sand making a shoveling motion. The box is on top of a white pedestal with a small black sticker of a hand stuck on the bottom corner of the pedestal’s top surface. The pedestal is placed against a white wall, and in the background, printed on the wall, blurred text saying “CRISIS SUPPORT RESOURCES” can be seen with a paragraph of text below it. Past the foreground the wooden floor can be seen.A white wall with the text “ANCESTRAL LANDSCAPES” and a series of paragraphs introducing the exhibition. A TV screen with an interpreter wearing a pink shirt is mounted to the right of the text. On the right of the screen, another wall holds two framed pictures, with a third frame being cut off. On the left, part of a glass door can be seen.A white wall with seven white-framed pictures, two with tall frames, five with shorter, wider frames. Above, six stage lights illuminate the pictures, all equally spaced except for the last two on the right, which are placed directly next to each other. Below, a light-colored wooden floor can be seen. To the left, a tall wooden beam connects the floor and the ceiling.A white-framed picture is mounted on a white wall. The picture displays a variety of objects mounted to a white wall. These are, from left to right, top to bottom: a clothes hanger, moose antlers, a green poster covered in text, a calendar set to September 2014, and a wall lamp with black drawings of sail ships on the shade, the mount shaped like a ship’s helm. There are black power cables connected to the lamp and hanging on the antlers.A white-framed picture is mounted on a white wall, the angle of the scene is slightly skewed so that the picture is being looked at from the left. The picture itself depicts a faded blue wheelbarrow holding a bundle of moose antlers sitting on a grass field. The background is filled with dark green trees, only letting a little bit of a dull blue sky be seen. Underneath the frame of the picture is a tag which is cut off, with only “family (moose antlers)” being able to be read.A white-framed picture is mounted on a white wall, the angle of the scene is slightly skewed so that the picture is being seen from the right. The picture is of a body of water being seen from above, with many ripples disturbing the surface. The color of the water is being influenced by its surroundings, and changes from a dark green at the top of the image, to a green beige at the bottom. Under the picture frame, to the left, is a tag with information about the work. It is too blurry to read. To the far left of the image is another picture frame being cut off.A white-framed picture is mounted on a white wall, the angle of the scene is slightly skewed so that the picture is being seen from the right. The picture depicts the backyard of a house being looked at from an upward diagonal angle. The house has a red roof and white walls. In the backyard, grass covers the ground, and a field of plants can be seen at the bottom of the picture. There are various objects within the yard, from left to right, they are: a ladder, a porch swing facing left, and a tall tree at the far right. In between the swing and the tree is Rick Miller lying on the grass. He is wearing a blue shirt and dark blue shorts. Under the picture frame, to the left, is a tag with information about the work. It is too blurry to read. To the far left of the image is another picture frame being cut off.An angled shot of a white wall with white framed pictures mounted on it. On the far left, a frame is cut off. The next picture is in focus and has a taller frame than the rest. It shows Rick Miller wearing a yellow shirt standing in a forest with a bush in front of him and birch tree behind. The following pictures to the right are blurred.A white-framed picture is mounted on a white wall. The picture shows a hand holding a mussel with light specks of sand on the shell and the fingers holding it. The background is out of focus, depicting a large body of water with mountains in the far background. The scenery is a gradient from dark blue at the bottom, to lighter blue at the top. Below the frame is a tag with information about the picture. It reads: “For Heather, Rick Miller (2018), Gicklée print, 19” x 13”, Sandy Beach, Gaspé, Québec.”A white-framed picture is mounted on a white wall, the angle of the scene is slightly skewed so that the picture is being looked at from the right. The picture shows a house with a black roof and white walls. It is nighttime, so the surroundings are completely pitch black, to a degree where the background cannot be seen, but the front of the house is being illuminated by a light source out of the frame. Standing in the center of the area being lit up is Rick Miller. He is wearing a beige shirt and dark blue shorts. Under the picture frame, to the left, is a tag with information about the work. It is too blurry to read.A white-framed picture is mounted on a white wall. The picture depicts Rick Miller wearing a pink-patterned shirt facing away, so we can only see him from behind. He is resting the front of his head against a wall of light grey lockers, some of them partially open. Above him is a dark cyan panel ceiling. Beneath the frame of the picture is a label with information about the picture. It reads: “Childhood revisited 4 (teenage depression), Geneviève Thibault (2018), Gicklée print, 19” x 13”, Polyvalente C.E. Pouliot, Gaspé, Québec.”Two panoramic prints are placed one on top of the other on a white wall. They both have white borders. The top one depicts a landscape with the sun rising from behind silhouettes of hills, the sky tinted dark blue. The bottom one shows a beach during sunrise, with the scene being mostly a dark blue. Both pictures have a small tag to their left, detailing the specifics of the artworks.Two panoramic prints are placed one above the other on a white wall. They both have white borders. The top one depicts a desert with a bundle of white buildings in the distant center. Behind the buildings, some green hills line the background. The bottom print shows a body of water surrounded by mountains. The foreground is covered in gravel, whereas the background mountains have dark green vegetation and small patches of snow. Both pictures have a small tag to their left, detailing the specifics of the artworks.Two panoramic prints are placed one above the other on a white wall. They both have white borders. The top one depicts a dark beach, with the sun appearing in the distance just above the horizon line to the left of the picture. To the right is a tall landmass that cuts off the image. At the far-left clouds can be seen creeping into the sky. The bottom one shows a forest river, with mountains to the far right and left, and a river filling the bottom center of the image. At the center, a mass of trees cuts the river into two separate streams going into the left and right. Both pictures have a small tag to their left, detailing the specifics of the artworks.Three walls can be seen, one on the left, one on the right, and one at the back. The left wall has two panoramic pictures pinned onto it. The one on the right also has two panoramic pictures pinned onto it. The wall at the back has three framed pictures perched on it, with the one in the center being shorter and wider than the other two. A light-colored wooden floor can be seen from this angle.A dark room with white walls illuminated by stage lights hanging from the ceiling. On the walls are various pictures, with the left and right wall ones having frames, and the center wall ones being unframed panoramic pictures. In the center of the room is a short black wall with wooden pillars on either side. Above the wall is a projector, which places a video onto the black wall of Rick Miller, who is wearing glasses and a blue shirt. Hanging on the left pillar is a white cushion. Next to the right pillar is a couple of stacked white stools. In front is a white cushion lying on the wooden floor.A dark room with white walls illuminated by stage lights hanging from the ceiling. On the walls are various pictures, with the left and right wall ones having frames, and the center wall ones being unframed panoramic pictures. In the center of the room is a short black wall with wooden pillars on either side. Above the wall is a projector, which places a video onto the black wall of Rick Miller wearing glasses and a yellow shirt, walking away from a shed in the woods. Hanging on the left pillar is a white cushion. Next to the right pillar is a couple of stacked white stools. In front is a white cushion lying on the wooden floor.
Images by Michelle Peek Photography courtesy of Bodies in Translation: Activist Art, Technology & Access to Life, Re•Vision: The Centre for Art & Social Justice at the University of Guelph. Artwork by Rick Miller, Jules Koostachin and Genviève Thibault from the Ancestral Mindscapes exhibition at Tanged Art + Disability.
