Indigenous Motherhood and Matriarchy is a multi-artist exhibit that highlights women’s resiliency and strength. It is on display at the +Fifteen Art Galleries at the Arts Common in downtown Calgary.

The curator for the exhibit is Autumn Whiteway, also known as “Night Singing Woman." She says she was inspired when she gave birth to her son Migizi last summer and started planning her Indigenous Motherhood and Matriarchy theme.

Whiteway currently curates the Artist of the Month for Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society.

Cree/Métis artist Karlee Fellner has an eight-piece series about her motherhood experience in the art exhibit. Her son Naato just turned one last month. She tells us how the exhibit makes her feel.

“Just like how like truly — I just use this word — but how truly powerful it is to be raising Indigenous babies right now, and Indigenous children, and to reclaim our traditional ways. [And] stand strong together as communities as we come out of, you know, attempted genocide and move forward towards healing and wellness for our little ones and for all our families and all of our people," Fellner said.

Fellner hopes that people will come check out the displays and take away with them a part of what Motherhood and Matriarchy means in the Indigenous culture.  

The exhibit features 16 artists and 36 pieces — some are 2D and  are some 3D works. Besides Whiteway and Fellner, the artists include Sam Bighetty, Tania Big Plume, Amber Boyd, Autumn Cavender-Wilson, Chantal Chagnon, Tamara Eaker, Saila Kilabuk, Sandra Lamouche, Maryanne Lindberg, Chandra Maracle, Alexandra Nelson, Stephanie One Spot, Sable Sweetgrass and Sheila Toderian.

The group exhibit runs until Feb. 25, 2022.

The Indigenous Motherhood and Matriarchy multi-group exhibition can be viewed in person or a 3D virtual exhibition is on the artscommons website.

Listen to the CFWE story below: