The Journey:

Exhibition Subtitle

Shelley Niro

The C.N. Gorman Museum is pleased to present the photography, film, and beadwork of multi-media artist Shelley Niro (Bay of Quinte Mohawk).

The suite Ghosts, Girls, Grandmas (2004) extracts memory woven in such a way as wampum and juxtaposes it with photography to explore narratives of the past and present. Niro, as record keeper and archivist, as well as storyteller, relies on each bead of wampum and every ray of light exposed as a photograph to relay significant messages for our future generations. These visual records become part of a cultural language, a mnemonic device that collects memories, waiting to be retold by generations to come.

Niro is a photographer, painter and filmmaker who gained national and international attention by juxtaposing dark humor with historical and social issues pertaining to displacement, colonialism, and the roles of women.  Her award-winning films have been screened at festivals worldwide, including The Shirt (2003) shown at the 2003 Venice Biennale, 2004 Sundance Film Festival, and the National Museum of the American Indian. 

Opening Reception:
Thursday, Jan 13, 6-8pm

Artist Talk:
Saturday, Mar 5 @ 1pm