Mutual respect | acknowledgement of place
Mutual respect | acknowledgement of place
K. Jake Chakasim (Cree) is a lecturer at the Sudbury School of Architecture and Emily Carr University of Art + Design. His interdisciplinary approach to architecture addresses the need to re-contextualize Aboriginal traditions through refined typologies. Jake was awarded an Architectural Research Center Consortium Jonathan King Medal, an award that acknowledges innovation, integrity and scholarship in architectural and/or environmental design research. Jake is pursuing a PhD a the School of Community and Regional Planning at UBC.
While the AD and curator at 4elements Living Arts I invited Jake to join us for a two-week residency with 4e. Jake worked with local high school students and community members to collaboratively design and build sculptural forms that explored the relations between First Nations and settlers. Using non-traditional approaches, the work and the participants (from M’Chigeeng First Nation and Kagawong) responded to the materials and the site, rather than beginning with a pre-planned design. Board were bent and shaped to work within the space. As new community members joined the group, new ideas were integrated and the work continued to grow and evolve. Copper was used as it is both a traditional metal and to signify communication. The copper boards move throughout the whole work, emanating from the central log, and represent life, love, and the heartbeat. The white and red boards, the light and dark bark, and the series of ‘twos’ and doubles represent First Nations and settler peoples.
A salvaged cedar log, rotten on the inside, was cut in two, with the two sides placed ‘back to back’ at the centre of the piece; rocks were placed at the foot of the work to represent Manitoulin Island. Bear markings on one side represent claims to territory, while the bear claws on the other side represent protection.
Several months later, Jake returned to the Island. Students at Manitoulin Secondary School engaged with and responded to the sculpture and then worked with Jake Chakasim and Steve Radoulovich during a second residency to create another sculptural form, from which a permanent work will be created over the following year. Funded through Canada 150, Ontario 150 and the Ontario Arts Council, the project and the works are part of the Billings Connections Trail.
COMMUNITY DESIGNED SCULPTURE
Lead designer: Jake Chakasim, Carving: Steven Fox-Radoulovich. Design/Build: students and community members. Curator: Sophie Edwards. Community facilitation: Sophie Edwards and Sarah King-Gold. Advisory Team: Josh Eshkawkogan, Sunny Osawabine, Mira Jones, Anong Beam, Jamie Mohamed
