Brittney Bear Hat's exhibition Kokum continued the artist’s ongoing exploration of relationships and the value they hold through storytelling, memory and traditions.
This exhibition was inspired by Bear Hat’s relationship with her kokum (grandmother in Cree), a connection that was not established until later in the artist’s life, and one that introduced a new perspective distinct from Bear Hat’s own Blackfoot upbringing. Comprising of items passed down to the artist from her kokum, in this work Bear Hat sought to let these new-found items develop and reveal their familial significance. By transforming these gifts into more, letting them become images on their own as part of this exhibition, Bear Hat considers the value of these gifts - ordinary household items that become so much more over time.
Brittney Bear Hat is a Mohkinstsis/Calgary-based artist, whose Blackfoot and Cree/Dane-zaa ancestors have lived on the lands that are now part of Treaty 7 and 8, for many millennia. Her work explores this cultural lineage through installation, photography, text and collage. Bear Hat graduated from the Alberta University of the Arts in 2011, where she majored in painting. Her work explores identity, and adds to the rich stories of her home territories. Within her work, Bear Hat is exploring that which ties her to these unique landscapes.
For more information about Bear Hat’s work, visit her website.
Kokum // Interpretive Essay by Shannon Lester
As you enter Brittney Bear Hat’s exhibition you will see three major elements in her work: blown-up family photos, familiar physical objects, and handwriting on the wall. All of the objects displayed in the gallery were given to Bear Hat by her kokum. The photographs were also provided by family; the handwriting on the wall is her own.
This exhibition is a tribute to Bear Hat’s grandmother who is no longer with us. It is a testament to the inspiration that family brings, and the Elder’s role in teaching the importance of tradition to younger generations. The writing on the wall creates continuity between the mounted physical objects and the photographs, playfully hung with camouflage tape. This method of display gives us an interactive experience, like visiting a living museum. Unlike a museum, however, the experiences presented here are not from the distant past; they exist in the now and are very tangible.
Most of the objects displayed are related to hunting or being on the land. A self - professed city girl, Bear Hat said that her grandmother was key in encouraging her to make long-lasting connections with nature. She recounted a story of learning how to skin a moose at the age of 7, and how she is now learning how to hunt and tan hides.
Speaking to the artist about the personal nature of this exhibition, Bear Hat revealed she has reached a point where she feels more comfortable going inward and sharing her own personal narrative. This is in stark contrast to her previous work in which she explored stereotypes and topics that she felt were more surface-oriented.
This exhibition is not only about Indigenous culture - hunting and camping are experiences that most Canadians can relate to. Indeed, the desire to honour past loved ones, especially in acknowledging the importance and power of the matriarch, is a universal inclination (or perhaps more accurately should be). The title of this exhibition is very appropriate. Kokum, which means ‘grandmother’ in Cree, is a reminder that we should all acknowledge the wise women of this earth and the traditions that they hold in their hands, hearts and minds.