Allen Sapp's work basis of touring exhibit

Page 6

People across Canada will have a chance to view artwork by renowned artist Allen Sapp and to learn about the Northern Cree at the same time, when a travelling exhibit takes to the road in 2005.

The exhibit, Through the Eyes of the Cree, will feature 70 of Sapp's paintings, along with memorabilia, historic photographs and artifacts.

The exhibit will integrate Sapp's art with explanations and stories about the pieces, told from the perspective of the Cree people of Saskatchewan. The exhibit will also include a digital interpretive component presented in Cree, French and English and narrated by actor Gordon Tootoosis.

Sapp, who is a recipient of the Order of Canada and a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, is known for his artwork portraying early Cree life on First Nation reserves in Saskatchewan. "This is a very unique exhibition. It focuses on the story of the Northern Plains Cree, so in a sense it is not just the art of Allen Sapp," said Dean Bauche, director of the Allen Sapp Gallery in North Battleford.

"His art is the vehicle by which the Cree people are telling their stories. It is a visual vehicle and of course because he is one of their own, there is that natural thing happening. He provides the image and the people provide the voices, the stories and the memories."

As with most exhibitions, education kits will be created for the thousands of students who come to see it.

"If it tours nationally, there will be tens of thousands, so you want them to learn something," Dean Bauche said.

"One of the partners in our exhibition is the Office of the Treaty Commissioner. They are involved in fundraising and they are also involved in the educational component."

Bauche said that the gallery is aware there is a lot of interest in Sapp's work, and that his work is unique and important and warrants both national and international exposure. Through the new exhibit, the gallery wants the public to not only look at the art pieces, but also to get a clear understanding of who the Northern Plains Cree are as people, and of the contributions they and other First Nations people have made to society.

"We wanted the people to have a world view of who the Cree people are. We want both the audience and the students to understand the way in which Allen's grandparents understand and look at the world in terms of respect, culture and holistic healing, as opposed to the Western version of these topics. Hopefully the people will look at and understand that the Cree people hold different beliefs and values in the community. We, as Cree people, and the museum, believe that who we are is very connected to what we believe and how we live," he said.

"Mr. Sapp is a terrific Aboriginal artist," said Trevor Ashfield, a communications officer with Canadian Heritage, which is helping to fund the travelling exhibition. "Obviously Aboriginal artists make a very important contribution to arts in Canada. My understanding is what this project will do is give the artwork a much wider audience all across the country ,and this certainly is a very worthwhile thing for the gallery to do."

A number of museums from across the country have already shown an interest in hosting the exhibit, Bauche said, including the National Museum of Civilization in Hull, Que., the Provincial Museum of Alberta in Edmonton, and the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg. The gallery is also in talks with a number of smaller museums across the country.

The traveling exhibits will more than likely stay in one location for three months, Bauche said. "We would like it to go coast to coast."

Allen Sapp himself is helping to put the travelling exhibit together, Bauche said.

"Allen is definitely helping us gain an understanding of where he has come from."

Sapp's brother, Simon Sapp , is also involved in creation of the video component of the exhibit.

"In addition to that, many people who are not a part of Allen's family but who knew him while growing up in hiscommunity are also making a contribution and are a part of the exhibition. Naturally when the exhibition tours, Allen will be attending the opening ceremonies," said Bauche.

For a preview of what you can expect when the travelling exhibit begins its tour, you can visit the gallery's Web site and check out the feature created as part of the Virtual Museum of Canada. To access the feature, go to the gallery Web site at www.allensapp.com, and click on Through the Eyes of the Cree.