Artists in Conversation: Melanie Monique Rose and Tristen Durocher
FREE EVENT!
Join us for a special public presentation with fibre and visual artist Melanie Monique Rose and Métis fiddle player Tristen Durocher.
Saturday Nov 6, 1:00pm Land Titles Building West Entrance, Godfrey Dean Cultural Centre 49 Smith Street East, Yorkton, SK
This event is part of the art exhibition The Flower People, on display at GDAG from Nov 1 to Dec 23, 2021. Artist Melanie Monique Rose describes her exhibition as a collection of stories. In her words, “The Flower People is a story about me, my family, my people and our connection and relationship to the land, ourselves, and each other.” Join us and hear Melanie share the stories behind her artworks.
Tristen Durocher will speak on the preservation of culture and connection to community through fiddle music and camps. Tristen will perform the fiddle tune “A Song For All Seasons” by Oliver Shoerr, as well as other traditional Métis fiddle tunes like The Duck Dance and the Red River Jig.
This event is free and open to the public. Public health protocols will be in place and proof of vaccination or negative test will be requested for entry.
Can’t make it to this in-person event in Yorkton? No problem! We will be recording the artist talks and presenting them in a livestream event later this year, in partnership with Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists Collective. Watch our social media and sign up to our mailing list to stay informed.
// Melanie Monique Rose is a fibre and visual artist from Regina, Saskatchewan, Treaty 4 Territory. She attended the Kootenay School of the Arts in Nelson, BC and majored in Fibre Arts. Since then, Rose has exhibited her work in solo and group exhibitions nationally. The Flower People is derived from the name “The Flower Beadwork People,” a name given to the Métis who are well known for their floral beadwork. Rose uses felting techniques on collected blankets to create a canvas; exploring her Métis identity alongside her Ukrainian heritage. Personal, cultural, and universal symbolism are woven into the fabric of Rose’s work with an emphasis on movement, colour, and narrative. Rose’s most recent works explore personal acts of Indigenous survivance and solidarity, which have made her look critically at how she tells her story as an active Indigenous presence and contemporary artist in the world today.
// Tristen Durocher started playing fiddle at the age of nine after his grandfather, who also played fiddle, passed away. He learned to play by listening to his grandfather on a recording. Tristen started to grow as a fiddle player after attending the John Arcand Fiddle Fest in Saskatoon, where both Métis and other fiddle styles are taught and celebrated. Tristen was the Peoples’ Choice at the 2019 Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Competition where he also placed 9th among 35 of Canada’s top fiddlers who attend by invitation only. Tristen enjoys sharing his music in schools and at the special events for which his fiddle playing prowess is sought.
// This event is produced in partnership by the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery and Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artists Collective, with support from SK Arts, the City of Yorkton, and the Indigenous Art Centre.
