There’s a remarkable experience hiding behind the John “JCat” Cardinal mural on the first floor of Edmonton City Centre Mall (West). Take a walk through for a compelling story shared through a sensory masterpiece.
“Welcome to the UNCEDED territory.”
UNCEDED: VOICES OF THE LAND is the first Indigenous-led contemporary architecture exhibit to hit the world stage. Ever.
Projections trace a familiar path through the exhibit. The content as well as the structure guide you through the gift of storytelling. Voices and videos flow along the walls like a river carrying you downstream. This creative use of natural forms is a familiar theme used in the works of the 18 featured architects from around Turtle Island.
This project was led by the “contemporary master of architecture,” Douglas Cardinal, who has strong roots in Alberta. Before designing the Canadian Museum of History, he completed the Edmonton Space & Science Centre (now Telus World of Science) and St. Albert Place & City Hall, just to name a few. His works reflect the modern age while honouring gifts from the land. They speak to Indigenous wisdom not as an aged or historical concept, but as something to learn from today and help shape the future of building design.
“Indigenous people hate living in boxes.”
You can’t disconnect architecture from the land and the forces of nature. A series of angular skyscrapers cuts through the wind creating unnatural, piercing gusts, whereas a rounded design works with what already exists, allowing wind to bend around walls smoothly. The 18 architects talk about their visions and experiences and how they use what’s around them—sunlight, materials, ground heat—to affect and transform their designs.
There are 2.5 hours of content in the exhibit, but you can achieve a robust experience in as little as half hour.
“Residential school stuff is so heavy.”
A ghostly girl appears. She looks to be reaching for something before getting pulled into the darkness. She screams. In her space, you’ll hear personal stories, including ones about residential schools and the Sixties Scoop. The ghostly girl is there for a blink of an eye but leaves a haunting impression.
Not everything in her space is heavy. It’s not just about cultural genocide but also the pride of resilience and the path to reclaiming language and what’s happening now to pass down natural teachings and oral traditions.
“We do this for Everybody”
There is hope. In the drum circle room, your heartbeat begins to sync to the rhythm. As your heart begins to flow with the beat, you can hear the vision of an invigorating and peaceful co-existence of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Flowing into the drum circle room, you are surrounded by moving, geometric shapes and images of natural landscapes. The sound of voices from each of the other spaces is there, yet barely audible. There is an aspect of healing in this space. Here, we are moving forward with the song, looking toward the future.
“The next generation of Indigenous youth is going to change the world.”
Quotes were selected from the 18 Turtle Island architects featured in the exhibition.
UNCEDED: VOICES OF THE LAND is on now until June 21 at Edmonton City Centre Mall West (the former Hudson’s Bay location) and features architectural works by Ryan Gorrie, Wanda Dalla Costa, Patrick Stewart, Jake Chakasim, Brian Porter, Tamarah Begay, Alfred Waugh, Ouri Scott, Mattew Hickey, Ray Gosselin, Harriet Burdett-Moulton, David Thomas, Eladia Smoke, Tammy Eagle Bull, Daniel Glenn, Chris Cornelius, and Douglas Cardinal. It was originally co-curated by Gerald McMaster & David Fortin for the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale.
Hours
General Public
Weekdays 10AM – 6PM
Saturday 10AM – 9PM
Sunday 12PM – 5PM
School and corporate groups
Beginning 9AM by advanced booking