“Curtain Call draws inspiration from several key elements. My point of departure for this work is the historical presence of Indigenous peoples on this site, which was a significant historical trade route. Also, a usage of great lakes for canoe travels and trade – points to the significance of water. The historical Indigenous presence and a contemporary Celebration of Nations and its Two Row Wampum* ideology turned my focus to the Indigenous lens. Most inspiring to me is the Two Row Wampum belt in particular, and wampum belts in general with their symbolism.
Details
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre | Lilly Otasevic | 2019
Description
The main and only building block for my sculpture is a wampum bead. This kind of bead was historically used by other cultures as well. Rather than representing a particular pattern on a belt, I used an exaggerated size of a bead to “weave” a wavy fabric that incorporates random colours. The multiple colours reflect our demographic and cultural diversity. The randomness of colours represents interconnectedness of different people from diverse locations in the world that came and became part of our contemporary social fabric. This is a continuously changing, organic dynamic. The undulating sculptural form symbolizes the prominence and importance of lake and water for local prosperity. The ultimate symbolism of this wavy shape is a reference to the theatre curtain. Being that this site, in contemporary times, is a centre of cultural performances and gathering through the arts, the title itself refers to a call at the end of a successful performance. In a symbolic dimension, it refers to a successful performance in a broader sense, as in – a job well done by the whole community. Last but not least, this sculptural fabric is also an homage to the late Marilyn I. Walker- a fibre artist who had an instrumental influence on the arts and culture of St. Catharines.” – Lilly Otasevic
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage Canada 150 Program as a legacy component of Celebration of Nations as well as the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre’s public art reserve.
*The Two Row Wampum represents an agreement between the Haudenosaunee and Europeans outlining a commitment to friendship, peace between peoples, and living in parallel forever—as long as the grass is green, as long as the rivers flow downhill and as long as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. This Wampum reinforces the historic bond Indigenous peoples and Canadians share, and enhances awareness of the significant role Indigenous nations played in shaping Canada.
Remarkably, although the Two Row Wampum Belt symbol extends back some 400 years, it continues to serve as the foundational value and philosophy for negotiations and each successive peace treaty made with European peoples.
Curtain Call is a part of the City of St. Catharines Civic Art Collection.
