Join us for the opening reception November 27, 5-7PM.
Rocks and books and bones, shadows and light, and the balance between these things; studied in isolation and interpreted by 17 leading artists, essayists, poets, and academics from coast to coast, and presented through the dual lens of publication and a touring exhibition—this is David Garneau’s Dark Chapters.
The subject matter of Garneau’s still life paintings include everyday objects combined with powerful symbols of his Indigenous heritage, such as a Métis sash and burning sweetgrass. As with traditional still life, the relationship of the objects provides the context, however Garneau adds another profound layer of meaning through the naming of the pieces, with titles like Future Portrait of the Artist (a skull on a plinth) and Visiting a Relative in the National Gallery (a large display case covered in white cloth). The works are laden with possible interpretations.
Garneau provided no additional context, interviews, or explanation, asking the writers to rely instead on their own lived experiences as guidance. “The risks are numerous. Some writers are likely to create meanings that do not rhyme with the artist’s intentions,” writes Garneau at the onset of the project in 2022. “At the same time, they might generate fresh ideas that cause me to rethink my work and produce new paintings that reflect or contend with the critiques.”
The result is a stunning collection of essays, poetry, and anthropological study from contributors including Fred Wah, Susan Musgrave, Paul Seesequasis, David Howe, Rita Bouvier, Jesse Wente, Billy-Ray Belcourt, Peter Morin and more.
Special thanks to the Canada Council for the Arts for funding the Dark Chapters project, and to the Nelson Museum and the University of Regina Press.
David Garneau (Métis) is a Professor of Visual Arts at the University of Regina. He is a painter, curator, and writer who engages creative and critical expressions of Indigenous contemporary ways of knowing, being, and doing. In 2023, he received the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Art: Outstanding Achievement and was inducted into the Royal Society of Canada.
