MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –
Source: Government of Canada – in French 1
The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) are proud to unveil Alanis Obomsawin: Children Must Hear Another Story, the MAC’s newest exhibition that will be open to the public from September 26, 2024 to January 26, 2025 in the MAC’s temporary space at Place Ville Marie.
Montreal, September 18, 2024 – The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) are proud to unveil Alanis Obomsawin: Children Must Hear Another Story, the MAC’s newest exhibition that will be open to the public from September 26, 2024 to January 26, 2025, in the MAC’s temporary space at Place Ville Marie. The exhibition, dedicated to the work of Abenaki documentarian, activist and singer Alanis Obomsawin, one of the world’s most acclaimed Indigenous filmmakers, will be accompanied by Wàbigon, an exclusive mural by artist Caroline Monnet.
After enjoying great success in Berlin, Vancouver and Toronto, Children Must Hear Another Story will highlight the work of Alanis Obomsawin in the heart of the Montreal metropolis. Divided by decades, this retrospective provides an exhaustive panorama of her cinematographic, visual and musical work. The exhibition focuses in particular on the motivations of the artist, who distinguished herself by her strength and courage from a very young age; followed by the 1960s, a period during which she became known to the public as an artist and activist for indigenous rights, then the subsequent periods, just as significant, which allow us to follow the evolution of her trajectory and her thinking.
“My whole life I have been primarily interested in education, because it is through education that we develop, that we learn to hate or love.” – Alanis Obomsawin
The exhibition presents 13 of the 64 films Alanis Obomsawin made at the NFB, including her first, Christmas at Moose Factory (1971), which depicts the Cree community through the drawings and voices of its children; Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1993), filmed behind the barricades during the Oka Crisis; and You Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice (2016), which follows the lawsuit brought against the federal government by First Nations representatives. These films are accompanied by archival documents that shed new light on the process of their creation; drawings by children from Moose Factory; and masks, prints and monotypes by the artist.
Quotes
“Supporting museums and exhibitions that provide Canadians with access to heritage is essential to learning from the past and shaping the future. I am very proud that, thanks to our government’s investment, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal is showcasing the work of Indigenous artist and filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin and offering visitors a unique opportunity to discover the impact of her film work over the decades.” − The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage
“It is an honour and a privilege for me to present this retrospective exhibition of Alanis Obomsawin in the city where she has lived and worked for 70 years. A leading figure in our cultural, political and social landscape, Alanis is a role model and inspiration for so many Indigenous and non-Indigenous filmmakers, artists and activists. We know her for her films; the exhibition allows us to discover the singer, the storyteller, and the depth and richness of her commitment to Indigenous peoples across Canada.” – Lesley Johnstone, exhibition curator at the MAC
“The NFB has been Alanis Obomsawin’s creative home for nearly 60 years. This exceptional artist paved the way for true recognition of Indigenous peoples, so that their realities and aspirations could be seen, heard and better known. Her documentary films bear witness to the social and cultural changes experienced by First Peoples and have contributed in their own way to these major transformations. Ms. Obomsawin’s essential and accessible work continues to inspire new generations of filmmakers in Canada and around the world.” – Suzanne Guèvremont, Government Film Commissioner and Chair of the NFB
Organized by Richard Hill and Hila Peleg, the exhibition Alanis Obomsawin: Children Must Hear Another Story is made possible through a partnership between the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Berlin), the Art Museum at the University of Toronto and the Vancouver Art Gallery, in collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada and with the generous support of CBC/Radio-Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts. This project was made possible in part by the Government of Canada. The exhibition at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal is organized by Lesley Johnstone, with Marjolaine Labelle, and made possible by the Government of Quebec.
A mural by Caroline Monnet
In conjunction with the exhibition, the MAC will unveil an exclusive mural by Caroline Monnet that pays tribute to Alanis Obomsawin’s major influence: Wàbigon, which means “a flower blooms” in Anishinaabemowin. Caroline Monnet, an artist of Anishinaabe and French descent, has created a monumental photographic portrait of eight Indigenous women and a child in an enchanted forest. It features Acho Dene Koe First Nation chief and artist Swaneige Bertrand with her daughter Aja-Eyal Ferron; the artist’s sister, Émilie Monnet, an interdisciplinary performer; Caroline Monnet herself; Guinean-Wendat dancer and choreographer Aïcha Bastien N’Diay; Eeyou (Cree) writer and artist Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau; Atikamekw visual artist Catherine Boivin; Inuk singer-songwriter Elisapie Isaac; and Innu soprano Elisabeth St-Gelais.
“This work highlights the buds that Alanis has managed to deploy during her impressive career. It is also a reaction against the excesses of industrialization. It is characterized by inventiveness, the presence of rhythms, colors and ornamentations inspired by fauna and flora.” – Caroline Monnet, artist
The press kit and visuals can be downloaded here.
About the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC)
For 60 years, the MAC has brought together local and international artists, their works and diverse audiences, celebrating art as an essential component of life in Montreal and Quebec. With the Museum’s headquarters in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles undergoing a major architectural transformation, the MAC has temporarily relocated its activities to Place Ville Marie, another iconic location in the city. Throughout the renovations, the Museum is reaching out to the public through temporary exhibitions highlighting exceptional artists and presenting a variety of practices. The MAC at Place Ville Marie also offers a wide range of educational services, creative workshops and community outreach activities. www.macm.org
About the National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
Founded in 1939, the NFB produces, co-produces and distributes distinctive, engaging, relevant and innovative documentaries and animated films. It is an incubator of talent and one of the world’s largest creative laboratories. For more than eight decades, the NFB has provided Canadians with the opportunity to share their stories and connect with one another. Its films are also a trusted and accessible educational resource. The NFB also has world-renowned expertise in preservation and conservation, and a rich living collection of works that constitute an important pillar of Canada’s cultural heritage. To date, the NFB has produced more than 14,000 works, 7,000 of which are available online for free at nfb.caThe NFB and its productions and co-productions have won over 7,000 awards, including 11 Oscars and an honorary Oscar recognizing the organization’s excellence in all areas of cinematography.
Credit: Richard Cardinal: The Cry of a Métis Child, 1986 (production still). Courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada and Alanis Obomsawin.
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For all interview requests or questions regarding the exhibition, please contact: Thara Communications | relations.presse@macm.orgThara Tremblay-Nantel | 514-208-6897Solneige Diaz | 514-449-7219
For all questions concerning the NFB: Marie-Claude Lamoureux, press officerm.lamoureux@nfb.ca| 438-304-6358Children need to hear another story. A retrospective of Alanis Obomsawin’s work at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.