Bringing cultures together through art
Posted on April 21, 2022 by Maple Creek
This mixed media diptych by Muveddet Al-Katib measures 46b inches by 42 inches. Three exhibitions at the Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre will be closing shortly.
Two of the displays – Savannah Mass’s plaster-cast sculptures and a collection of Indigenous archival photographs – will be coming down at the end of this month.
The third exhibition, the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC) show, “East and West: The Bridging of Cultures and Art”, is available for viewing until Monday April 25.
In the OSAC show, Muveddet Al-Katib, an emerging newcomer artist to Canada, uses art to bring cultures together. Some of his art is pictured on this page.
Muveddet was born in Turkey and moved to Saskatoon in 1998. As an immigrant woman, she feels connected to her roots in her homeland and also has a desire to reach out to her new surroundings.
“We live in a changing world, exposed to new cultures and people – emotional bridging between continents and lands with many different cultures within them. With cultures overlapping and building upon one another, mixing traditions and symbols, the goal of art has been to bring cultures together into one; one people, living and learning together, in one place, sharing stories and understanding each other along the way.”
“Creating Bridges: East and West” was a series of paintings created between 2014 and 2018, featuring ten to 15 pieces that reflect the bridging of cultures, done in mixed media on canvas with coins, metallic leaf and rich textural additions. The theme of the show was a way of sharing the story of diversity of peoples and cultures in Canada as a result of immigration – crossing borders to a new place, a new community and new way of life.
The issue of museum exhibitions was raised in Jasper board chair Donny White’s 2021 annual report, which was released at the January 27 annual general meeting.
In his report, White said one of the main areas of focus in 2022 will be the final tweaking of two new galleries – the Western, and the North West Mounted Police.
Attention will also be paid to the writing/production of storyboards for the downstairs foyer, NWMP room, Post Office room, and the development of the upper floor hallway, depending on available resources.
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