Breathe exhibit at RAM relays pandemic experience through Indigenous art

By Emily Mertz Global News

Posted July 14, 2021 2:16 pm

A display of 45 hand-crafted masks that tell stories of resilience through the COVID-19 pandemic is being unveiled at the Royal Alberta Museum Wednesday.

Breathe: Creating Resilience Through Traditional Art showcases masks made by artists from across Canada.

“It stems from a project called the Breathe Project, which was co-created by two Métis artists who saw that, at the beginning of the pandemic over a year ago, no one was making art, no one was sewing or creating,” explained Elaine Alexie, curator of Indigenous Studies at the RAM.

“They felt that this was a really important time to be making art.”

It started as an online project and a callout, asking other artists to submit their work.

Now, the in-person exhibit includes works from coast to coast and features four Alberta-based creations.

“What you see here… is not just Indigenous hand-crafted masks. You also have several masks here from the non-Indigenous community. Breathe here has been a community endeavor.

“(These) are stories firsthand from artists in their own words of how they’re describing the pandemic, and their experience, and how they’ve coped,” Alexie said.

“It’s a story about resilience. It’s a story about hope, happiness, sadness.”

A virtual exhibit launched alongside Breathe on Wednesday, where people can learn more and see the artists’ work more closely.