Public Art at Intermediate School
Wahkohtowin – nipy, askiy, kisik, pisiskiw: We are all connected – water, land, sky, animals
Details
| Year | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Artist(s) | Crystal Lee Clark – Rocky Mountain House, AB |
| Type | 2022 |
| Medium | Digital Painting |
| Site Location | Digital rendering on DIRTT wall |
Description
At first glance, the piece may appear to be an exploration of digital tools. On the surface it is, yet it deeply connects many stories. The concept of Wahkohtowin: we are all related” is represented by the circles as they symbolize how all things are connected at a cellular level and that we are in fact interconnected with each other and the natural world. The okiniwahtik (wild rose) is Indigenous food and medicine, the provincial flower, and inspiration for beadwork such as that of the deer hide moccasins her nohkomipan (late grandmother) gifted her while living in Red Deer many years ago. Although we live in a digital world we are rooted in our connection and reliance on the natural world and all of its beauty.
This piece also circles around the story of the river and how water connects and brings people together, sustains life and marks the Treaty 6 and 7 boundary within Red Deer. The story of the origins of the name of Red Deer or as it is known by the Nehiyawak (Cree) Waskasoo Seepee (“Elk River”) is shown in the subtlety of the elk within the artwork. The elk is reflective of the spirt of the language and stories embedded in this land. The circles that follow a fluid line represent the river. The circles within the elk connect back to the river, molecules that make up life, and are connected to the imagery of beads that are found in original Indigenous art aesthetics. The transparent circles that form shapes in the animals reflect the rematriation of culture. The background is reflective of the sky, the air, the breath, we all share, and the hopes for a beautiful, peaceful future together on this land. The use of digital painting tools within the artwork reflects a connection to the contemporary world yet is rooted in the reliance’s and need to connect and celebrate the natural world.