Parallax(e): Perspectives on the Canada-US Border

"The exhibition brings together photographs, maps, and watercolors produced by British and American surveyors, engineers, and artists associated with the Northwest Boundary Survey (1857-62) with recent artworks and new commissions by five Indigenous artists from both sides of the border."

"Parallax(e) resists reproducing this colonial gaze uncritically; rather, it interrogates the boundary as a colonial device of disruption and control."

"Archival traces point to the indispensable roles of Indigenous guides, laborers, and mapmakers, including figures such as Thiusoloc and his father, whose lived knowledge of the land was integral to the survey, but rarely represented in its official narratives."

The exhibition 'Parallax(e): Perspectives on the Canada-US Border' features works by five Indigenous artists addressing the Northwest Boundary Survey's legacy. It combines historical photographs, maps, and watercolors with contemporary Indigenous art. The exhibition critiques the colonial perspective of the boundary line, emphasizing the roles of Indigenous guides and laborers in the survey process. Archival materials visualize the border's impact on Indigenous territories, while the exhibition framework challenges traditional narratives and highlights Indigenous knowledge and contributions that have been overlooked.

Read at Hyperallergic