A meal. There’s nothing more common, more universally shared in every corner of the world, than the ritualistic togetherness of a meal. We all remember our favourite meals, the scent that fills homes through generations, or the rooms we hold in the core of our memories. In the background, a family picture hangs on the wall behind your mother; the plate you eat from is carved with knicks and scrapes of cutting and scooping bitefulls. There are random objects, light fixtures and family heirlooms that will be passed on to a cousin moving into their new home, and a garden breaths life as you peer outside the window in a child-like state of daydreaming.
manner(isms) welcomes viewers into a German-Cree biracial home and intends to be a reminder - there will always be social and historical intersections and commonalities between all people. In juxtaposition, hints towards the exhibitionism of traditional Indigenous homes introduce themselves through an anthropological lens. The mixture within manner(isms) consists of h(Oma)ge (book and frames), our Table, readymades and craftsmanship lean on notions of duality and embracing of the marvellous in the mundane.
In view, you’ll find separate series and objects presented in a familiar setting. The series of multimedia framed works and corresponding book, h(Oma)ge (2019), was created 11 years after the Matriarchal head passed, capturing memorable moments and Her spirit. our Table (2025) is a poem that furnishes the space with the epitome of a table spread: grounding gratitude. Readymades and beaded elements serve as a reminder that identity will always be intertwined in our beings, no matter how prominent, bright, or, at times, feeling out of relation to other parts of ourselves.
On March 28 from 6-8pm, join us for an opening reception featuring light snacks and refreshments. This event is free and open to the public.
AKB is a biracial Cree writer & strategist, born & raised in the Sylix Okanagan nation. They received a Bachelor of Arts in Western Art History & a minor in Anthropology at UBC, focusing on Western impacts on Indigenous cultures & museum curation. AKB's current works address themes of nature, interconnectedness & historical consciousness with recent achievements like their essay “(un)resolving liminality” for the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Arts (Fall 2024), an exhibition at the Kelowna Community Theatre (April-May 2024) of the multimedia project “Our Cabin In The Woods” & landing on the shortlist for UBCO’s Short Story Contest (Spring 2024) with their work “kimiwan.”