CMA Outstanding Achievement

Stewardship of Collections

For research activities carried out in museums or applied to museum practice that contributes to the development of new knowledge and understanding.

This award recognizes temporary, permanent, or traveling exhibitions that effectively and distinctively contribute to increase public understanding.

Winnipeg Art Gallery, Qaumajuq — Artworks Renaming Initiative, Phase 1

The Artworks’ Renaming Initiative was the first of its kind in any Canadian gallery. As with many historical collections of artworks, there are certain works in the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s collection that are titled inappropriately in today’s context. The Artworks Renaming Initiative addresses these problematic pieces by stressing Indigenous knowledge keepers agency in deciding how to go about renaming.

The 57 works by non-Indigenous artists that were chosen for this project carry inappropriate, outdated, even racist words in their titles. With the guidance from Indigenous knowledge keepers and Elders, WAG-Qaumajuq has re-titled these works.

The WAG was grateful to the Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers for their work on this project. They are Wanbdi Wakita, Pahan Pte San Win, Victor Tssessaze, Brett Huson, and Martha Peet. This project was managed by Julia Lafreniere, Head of Indigenous Initiatives at WAG-Qaumajuq, project coordinator Marie Anne Redhead, and included consultation with WAG registrar Nicole Fletcher, Head of Collections & Exhibitions Riva Symko, and Digital Media Administrator, Masters in Cultural Studies Student, and Researcher Katryna Barske.

— Julia Lafreniere