Some show at the Ahkwayaonhkeh Artist Center | Video games and beaded hockey sticks signed by Nico Williams

Put pearls on Mario Tremblay’s hockey stick? This is the bet made by Aamjiwnaang First Nation artist Nico Williams, in his solo exhibition presented at the Ahkwayaonhkeh Artist Centre, until February 23. The winner of the prestigious 2024 Sobey Prize, known for his beadwork sculptures, succeeds in reappropriating this intergenerational Indigenous practice on another level.

In Some show, title of the exhibition, “we always find a little something”, we can read in the press release whose play on words well reflects the artist’s thoughts. Indeed, for this solo, Nico Williams explored pawn shops and indigenous crafts in order to purchase objects of value to indigenous or non-indigenous communities. He adds his touch to each of the finds that he covers with beading to modify their meaning for the benefit of a reappropriation of history. It’s about “giving them another life,” according to the artist.

The public will see not only the extremely meticulous work, but the accumulation of layers of references that the works embody: beaded shoulder bags from the 18th^e century from the Great Lakes region hang on a support made from a hockey stick; a woven landscape painting from an earlier era is adorned with the words “LAND BACK”; a colonial tapestry is camouflaged by a beaded PlayStation cover that features an imaginary video game where indigenous communities are the heroes; a Sega Genesis 3 game of Pocahontas entirely covered in pearls recalls the importance of the character in the representation of First Nations identity…

And Mario Tremblay’s real hockey stick, now adorned with a strip of pearl arrow patterns. The sticks so prized in the NHL first came from the Mi’gmaq. “ [Ils ont] were sculpted by the Mi’gmaq! », recalls Nico Williams, who hopes, through this exhibition, to open the dialogue.

Between the pawn shop and indigenous crafts

In pawn shops, certain very rich ornaments or indigenous ritual objects – regalia or medallions, for example – can be sold at ridiculous prices, cheaper than a plastic box, whereas Previously, they were exchanged for great value. Craft shops, for their part, seem to respect this cost of goods more and act as a showcase for indigenous artists and artisans.

These observations led Nico Williams to create bridges between these two businesses and to think about pawning not only objects, but also cultures. He shares these ideas with the exhibition audience: “How can the change from an exchange economy to a market economy devalue these precious objects so much? And what will be the impact on indigenous identities? ”, we read on the event website.

Change the way you see indigenous objects

As Julia Caron Guillemette, artist center project coordinator, explains, “the work Nico does shows how indigenous cultures offer endless possibilities. Appropriating objects with beads demonstrates a current approach that may be contrary to the tendency that people have to see or imagine indigenous objects.”

Indeed, beadwork was previously used to adorn fabrics or sacred objects, but it is quite different for current communities and artists, who use it at a different level, as Nico Williams demonstrates through this exhibition. Beading is then used to regain one’s identity, one’s culture, one’s territory and to raise questions.

If he succeeded in introducing and tampering with Mario Tremblay’s hockey stick in this solo, Nico Williams may have new surprises in store in his next exhibitions. It seems that a second one, that of Guy Lafleur, is currently in his studio…

Some showby Nico Williams, is presented at Ahkwayaonhkeh Artist Center until February 23, 2025 (free entry) as part of the Mois Multi International Festival of multidisciplinary and electronic arts.

Visit the artist’s website