2023 Artists in Residence Tiffany Shaw (right) and Krystle Silverfox (left) in discussion at an artist panel as part of the 2023 Indigenous Art Intensive.
For more than a decade the Indigenous Art Intensive has brought leading international and national Indigenous scholars, curators, artists and writers together at UBC Okanagan in Syilx territory.
From May 17 to June 14, 2023, UBC Okanagan Gallery collaborated with the Indigenous Art Intensive to deliver a robust and expanded program of fourteen visiting artists and scholars in residence. During this time, artists and presenters took part in exhibitions, art making, workshops, course visits and an open studio day.
In 2023, the Indigenous Art Intensive increased capacity to offer…
• 14 artists in residence who presented their work and created new works using the FCCS studio facilities
• 4 academic courses that ran during the Intensive instructed by Tania Willard, Stacey Koosel, and Troy Sebastian
• 2 public workshops including beading and tufting with Michelle Sound and performance with Vanessa Dion Fletcher
• 3 exhibitions including Invisible Forces featuring Tiffany Shaw and Krystle Silverfox, You are on Sylix Territory featuring works from UBC Okanagan’s Public Art Collection, and The Aunties That Do by Michelle Sound at The Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art
• 1 open studio day where artists shared their works with the public
• 4 student gallery assistants were hired this year to support the program with support from Indigenous Programs and Services and UBC Okanagan’s Work Study program
• Childcare support was provided for participating artists
We would like to thank all our participating artists and presenters including…
• Csetkwe Fortier
• Dion Kaszas
• Dylan Robinson
• Gabrielle Hill
• Krista Belle Stewart
• Krystle Silverfox
• Mariel Belanger
• Michelle Sound
• Mique’l Dangeli
• Nadia Myre
• Peter Morin
• Tiffany Shaw
• Tsēmā Igharas
• Vanessa Dion Fletcher
The 2023 Indigenous Art Intensive was produced by our team including…
• Tania Willard – Director of the Indigenous Art Intensive
• Dr. Stacey Koosel – Curator of UBC Okanagan Gallery and Coordinator of the Indigenous Art Intensive
• Ryan Trafananko – Curatorial Assistant
• Yaya, Freddie, Carmen and Asahna- Student Gallery Assistants
We also acknowledge the support of faculty and staff at UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies including Shauna, Joanne, Sam, Philip, Kaila, Connor, Briar, Jen and Lindsay.
The 2023 Indigenous Art Intensive was made possible with the generous support of UBC’s Excellence Fund, BC Arts Council, and UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies.
The Intensive program has been a labor of love for our team, and we truly appreciate all of you who were able to support it.