MICHELLE SOUND Kokum’s Starblanket Sky
Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre 10124 96 St Edmonton, AB
Kokum’s Starblanket Sky, 2023
Michelle Sounds mural, Kokum’s Starblanket Sky emulates cosmos, constellations and celestial bodies. The work is a reminder of the stories and teachings of the Star people shared amongst Cree peoples. Teachings that remind us of the interconnected relationships we share with our ancestors, kin and communities. The bright colours of the stars promotes a sense of joy and playfulness a continuation and embodiment of our ancestors and that we are also future ancestors.
While creating this mural in downtown Edmonton I was thinking of my kokum, Della Sound. She was from Kinuso but lived in Edmonton since the early 1960’s. Edmonton, especially the MaCauley area, was always where I stayed with her during summer vacations and I have memories of her taking me out to the Army and Navy, flea markets and second hand shops around downtown. My memories of Edmonton are tied to my kokum and part of the reason I feel such a connection with this place.
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Accessibility notes: Ociciwan Contemporary Art Centre is barrier-free and is equipped with a lift to reach upper floors and lower floor gallery. Single stall and wide stall washrooms available on every floor. Children are welcome! Change tables available in select washrooms.
ETS stops at 96 Street and Jasper (routes 2, 5, 88, 120, 308, 309), 97 Street and Jasper Avenue (3, 14, 100, 109, 161, 162). Paid city street parking and paid Impark lots available.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and the Edmonton Arts Council.
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ABOUT THE ARTIST
Michelle Sound is a Cree and Métis artist and mother. She is a member of Wapsewsipi Swan River First Nation in Treaty 8 Territory, Northern Alberta and she was born and raised on the unceded and ancestral home territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University, School for the Contemporary Arts, and a Master of Applied Arts from Emily Carr University Art + Design. Michelle is currently an Indigenous Advisor at Douglas College. She is a multidisciplinary visual artist and her art practice includes a variety of mediums including photo based work, textiles, painting and Indigenous material practices. Her artwork often explores her Cree and Métis identity from a personal experience rooted in family, place and history.
She works with traditional and contemporary materials and techniques to explore maternal labour, identity, cultural knowledge, and cultural inheritances. Public art pieces include a utility box art wrap (City of Vancouver), street banners (City of New Westminster) printed Transit shelter mural and a painted mural at Ociciwan Art Centre (Edmonton)She has had recent solo exhibitions at Neutral Ground ARC (Regina), Daphne Art Centre (Montréal), Alternator (Kelowna), Gallery 101 (Ottawa), Burrard Arts Foundation, and Seymour Art Gallery (Vancouver).
