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She: a room full of women, while deceptively simple, was artist Faye Heavyshield's portrayal of the trials facing women and the strength they show in facing them.
Heavyshield's installation graced Thunder Bay's Art Gallery this fall, and the artist gave a talk at the gallery, explaining the exhibition in relation to her life experiences.
Born on the Blood Reserve in southern Alberta, Heavyshield was raised in Fort McMurray, and received her education from the University of Calgary and the Alberta College of Art. Her works have been shown extensively in Alberta.
The installation was deceptively simple: 12 pairs of shoes, in various styles but all dyed black, and assorted articles of women's clothing. Along the gallery wall were framed excerpts of fiction and poetry, which grew from stories told to the artist by family members and others over the years.
"The installation grew out of a circle or high-heeled shoes," Heavyshield explained. "I dyed them all black to give a first impression of anonymity, but if you look more closely, you will get a feeling of individuality from the differences in style and size. Each pair brought back a memory of something experienced in our earlier years."
The altering of the toe (either of the shoe or the foot itself) into hooves in some of Heavyshield's stories depicts the strength and energy of woman.
"It demonstrates that women must defend themselves from whatever life sends them."
Heavyshield was quick to explain that she does not see women as victims, even though some of her works depict violence against women.
"My work is about the energy, strength, the power we have."
The clothing of women and girls of different ages and sizes has been dyed a rusty monochrome, which is meant to instill discomfort. "I previously used a calming, neutral color, but I felt it didn't arouse the response I wanted," she said.
"One aspect is the discarding of protective layers, using the clothing as symbols of the walls we put up around ourselves. As they lie crumpled, they signify bodies being flattened."
Much of Heavyshield's writing reflects her past, especially the 10 years she spent at St. Mary's Residential School. In one poem which is actually a prayer, she asks for peace; and then revenge; and finally for deliverance from abuse. Another describes the patrol of a nun breaking the silence of the night.
Despite the unhappiness associated with that time of separation from home and family, she was able to write a two-part prayer which prays to both Christian and Native Deities.
"My niece finished her first and second year at the Sundance Ritual; whereas my own experience was in Catholicism. The poem is a mixture of Indian religion and Catholicism," she explained.
"The difficulty was that my writing had never been published, and it was as though I were exposing myself."
The number of articles in the installation has no significance, other than to fit the space available to each venue.
"I continue to work, and plan to use a spiral sculpture when the venue allows; the exhibit is always changing, and will continue to grow," says Heavyshield.
"This is not my personal life story; rather, it's a composite of different women I've known, and different women I've been. It is a celebration of women, that we are here. It isn't a challenge, but a statement. We are strong because we have to be."
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