ART GALLERY OF REGINA

owîceskoyakinikewak, which means s/he shapes clay or mud, reflects KC Adams' (Ininnew/Anishinaabe/British) dedication to reviving the lost methods of crafting ceramic vessels used by the First Peoples of this land.

The vessels in the exhibition were made from clay dug from the earth in Regina and Lebret, Saskatchewan, with the participation of many individuals. To ensure that this knowledge never goes silent again, Adams worked with local women to teach them how to dig clay, use woven fibres to reinforce the crumbly ceramic body, and tend to a wood-fueled blaze to fire the pots.

To shape mud is to be a creator. Not to breathe life into the sticky mire of earth mixed with water but to touch and form it into a blessing that nourishes human life. Nestled within an oval of downy ash, vessels modelled on ancient cooking pots await only a coating of oil to heat meals and bond communities together.

Recognizing the importance of community to owîceskoyakinikewak's creation, vessels made by participants Sybil Alexson, Larissa Cyr, Geanna Dunbar, Chantell Dubois, Alison Elsner, Karlie King, Melanie Monique Rose, Ethel Starblanket, Denita Starr, Reah Starr, and Judy Upton feature prominently in the installation.

The roundness of these pots signifies women's roles as child-bearers and protectors of water.

The exhibition, which includes digital photographs, a four-channel audio soundscape, grandfather rocks, wood ash, and clay vessels, creates a space to reflect on the revival of lost knowledge and traditions.