Catherine Blackburn: New Age Warriors

Catherine Blackburn’s practise is centred on contemporary interpretations of traditional forms. In New Age Warriors, she uses the framework of beading to explore cultural identity, memory, and history. Blackburn used Perler beads to create seven life-size warrior garments and language medallions. Each outfit is an amalgamation of elements based on traditional female clothing from different nations in Canada, which speaks to the diversity of Indigenous women. Although embedded floral and geometric designs are drawn from traditional imagery, the structure of the garments is futuristic to assert that Indigenous women’s resiliency is their “new age armour.” The plastic Perler beads are important in this regard. Due to North America’s growing consumerism, there is an overabundance of plastic waste. By reinventing plastic through garment making, Blackburn comments on the relationship between Indigenous women and the land in terms of ingenuity and adaptation to the environment.​

Curated by Jesse Campbell; Organized in partnership with the Dunlop Art Gallery, the Indigenous Peoples Artist Collective (Prince Albert), Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery, Art Gallery of Swift Current, and the Chapel Art Gallery.

Sponsored in Windsor by Canada Steamship Lines.
This project has been supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Saskatchewan Arts Board, Saskatchewan Arts Board‘s Culture on the Go Program, SaskCulture and Saskatchewan Lotteries.

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.
Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada.