The Art of Reconciliation
October 20, 2022
Indigenous and non-indigenous youth (aged 18-24 yrs) came together in Summer 2021 and Spring 2022 to create artwork based on their personal perspectives of reconciliation. The Art of Reconciliation show was displayed at the BC Legislature from September 26 to October 14 and received from 610 to 1090 visitors per day. On September 30 (National Day for Truth & Reconciliation) the exhibit was open to the public and received 598 visitors in four hours.
The Art of Reconciliation is a partnership between Tanya Clarmont (Victoria Native Friendship Centre), Debbie Douez (Art Therapist) and Dr. Frederick Grouzet (UVic Dept of Psychology and Centre for Youth & Society) with funding from a Social Sciences, Humanities Research Council Partnership Engage Grant and the Victoria Native Friendship Centre.
"Our research team documents the transformative experience of the participants and the exhibition visitors," says Frederick Grouzet, Director of the Centre for Youth and Society, and associate professor of psychology at UVic.
Participants attend a series of workshops and circles about local nations, reconciliation and anti-racism. An experienced art therapist guides the participants through several activities to explore their perspectives of what reconciliation means to them.
"As a participant, I really loved seeing how other people's thoughts on reconciliation changed or stayed the same as we worked through the art therapy exercises and workshops," says UVic alumna, Nicole Achtymichuk.
Achtymichuk is an emerging curator of Ukrainian and Dutch descent. She was born on Treaty 7 territory and has resided on stolen lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ lands since 2016. Nicole holds a B.Sc. in Anthropology from the University of Victoria and is committed to decolonizing institutions by rethinking how space and resources are used.
"The program showed me that reconciliation starts with each other and with community," says Achtymihuk. "I left the program with a much more positive view on reconciliation that I'm taking forward into my life, work, and studies."
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