Issac, meet me when the river breaks, acrylic on unstretched canvas, by Dan Cardinal McCartney
Then They Saw Firelight is a duo exhibition featuring multidisciplinary artists Morgan Possberg and Dan Cardinal McCartney. Exploring the ongoing effects of colonialism within their artistic practices, Morgan and Dan share the experience of growing up as Métis people formerly placed in the foster care system as children.
Akimiski, Tanned invasive carp skins, found quilt, by Morgan Possberg
Morgan's work, which includes fish skin tanning and intimate ink drawings, depicts bodily metaphors at a human scale. Through larger-than-life paintings and sculpture, Dan reclaims imagery from his early childhood photographs in foster care.
In my dreams we are home up north. We speak Cree to each other and check a trap line. Nothing bad has happened to us, nobody has been taken away. Tomorrow will be better, and if not I’ll say it again.
They say for nehiyaw we choose the life we have. In the spirit world we see many options, and regardless still choose the one we have. There must be a reason.
I never learned to be mean
Even though foster care gave me many reasons to be
About my apprehension
About the west
About survival