inVISIBILITY: Indigenous in the city Indigenous artists, Indigenous youth and the project of survivance

Literature Review "in the field of contemporary Indigenous art production." (p. 164)

Analysis of invisibility texts (stories & artwork) and artists' statements (printed in the exhibition catalogue, not beside the artwork)

This paper looks at artwork and stories from the inVISIBILITY exhibition which took place at the John B. Aird Gallery in Toronto in the summer of 2013. The exhibition explored the relationship between urban Indigeneity and education, showcasing art alongside stories from Indigenous students. In the exhibit, one student's story describes how "school didn't fit me, and then I didn't fit school" (p. 171), a theme which is further explored throughout the paper alongside the concept of survivance.

No clearly stated framework however the installation was organized according to artists direction.

"… the goal of the inVISIBILITY project was to create an Indigenized space within the gallery where artists, scholars, film makers, teachers, students, and parents would creatively share their experiences and perspectives with each other, with stakeholders in education, and the broader community." (p. 161)

Presence of Indigeneity as source of misfitting of Indigenous students and educational spaces

Survivance (Vizenor) in the form of presence and representation, identity and visibility

Sensation (Elizabeth Grosz) – invitation to audience to deeply reflect on their own perspectives/understandings of what they have seen

"… youth who participated in inVISIBILITY are contributing to the project of decolonizing the self and creating decolonized spaces within institutions." (p. 161)

“In the performance of their urban Indigenous identities [through art], [Indigenous] students are creating “a new tribal presence in the very ruins of the representations of invented Indians” (p. 3).” ” (Dion & Salamanca, 2014, p. 185)

Stories and Artwork of Indigenous student participants in exhibition.

invisibility Art Exhibition – Art & Stories, Artist Talks
Publication

"Motivated by a serious commitment to close the achievement gap, educators across Canada are searching for policies, practices, and strategies that will support the inclusion of Indigenous experiences and perspectives across the curriculum." (p. 162)

"Understanding students' refusal to be assimilated as performing survivance and asserting a first need and not as misbehavior or "being bad" can radically alter the relationships of teachers, school officials, students and Indigenous communities. Understanding the ways in which Indigenous students perform survivance can shift our understanding about who they are and what they need. If their first need is that of understanding their Indigenous self and surviving as Indigenous people within the school system, what is our responsibility and relationship to these students?" (185-6)

Indigenous Education
Resurgence
Indigenous Studies
Education