tensions
Amy Malbeuf
Small Arms Inspection Building, Mississauga
January 5 – February 9, 2019
Co-curated with Amy Malbeuf and Petrina Ng
Amy Malbeuf’s tensions presents a body of work that considers multiple manifestations of tension – the physical act of stretching or straining; the state of being stretched or strained; and the mental and emotional consequences brought by trauma such as intense stress, anxiety and avoidance. The multidisciplinary work in tensions is centred around tarps, objects that are utilitarian, practical, and a necessity, but through Malbeuf’s intervention the tarps become symbolic and functional – on one hand serving as tools for rural, utilitarian pursuits and necessities of life, while on the other, in the hands of Malbeuf, the tarps become cultural markers, drawing from the artist’s personal, familial, cultural and environmental relationships. This is enacted through the integration of familial objects – beaded gun cases and fur stretchers – alongside bison hides and caribou hair tufting. In doing so, Malbeuf charges these objects with an inextricable connection to the land, and a kinship to her Metis heritage and cultural identity. (Courtesy of the artist)
