By Manique Werapitiya
Entering Gallery 101, the 39 model houses placed evenly on the cedar shelves catch the visitor’s attention immediately. They reflect a sense of uniformity but at the same time a sense of homeyness. Just looking at the display, one is able to imagine the closeness of the people that would have lived in those simple looking houses and the sense of community they might have shared.
The exhibition, which runs until Feb. 23, is Ottawa artist Frank Shebageget’s first solo exhibit. His display, a sculpture installation called Small Villages, focuses on Native American architecture and the technology behind it.
“It’s a cultural display, dealing with my Native background and lifestyle…trying not to deal with stereotypical issues like racism, says Shebageget. “(I) want to tie historical information with contemporary issues and trace it back to its origins.”
Jen Budney, the gallery’s artistic director chose Shebageget’s work to put on display.
“It was one of the best out of all the open call submissions,” she says “His issues are relevant and unique.”
Shebageget, who is an Ojibway, says his art is an important creative outlet.
“I use art to voice and express my thoughts and feelings about being an urban Aboriginal artist in Canada,” he says.
Stefan St-Laurent, the administrative director at Gallery 101, says he was very impressed with the amount of quality and thought Shebageget put into his art.
“It’s slightly political yet there’s still enough ambiguity to allow you to interpret it in your own way,” he says.
According to St-Laurent and Budney, the public’s response to the current exhibition has been exceptionally good. St-Laurent says public feedback to exhibits is usually rare. However, with Shebageget’s display they have had several people come to them to comment how much they enjoyed the art.
A viewer who went to the exhibition opening night commented that she really enjoyed the exhibit.
“It’s very elegant, simple yet profound with many layers of meaning. It’s quiet and it’s the type of art which doesn’t strike you right away…he’s managed to convey his message so simply with basic materials,” she says.
The guest book for viewers to sign was filled with encouraging and positive messages about Shebageget’s work. Some comments read, “thought-provoking” and “very excellent and beautiful work.”
For Shebageget, his display at Gallery 101 is a big step forward in his artistic career. Before this he was relatively unknown.
Coming up next for the emerging artist is a group show at Toronto’s Queens Quay Gallery early this summer, which will feature fresh new art by Shebageget.