Music, visual art come together to explore Truth and Reconciliation

The back of a person with grey hair, wearing a denim jacket with a patch that says "Love Songs to End Colonization"

The School of Music and the Faculty of Arts at Brandon University (BU) will come together this week for a performance reflecting on truth, reconciliation, the power of words and all that we have in common.

Faculty members and alumni from the School of Music and the IshKaabatens Waasa Gaa Inaabateg Department of Visual Art are collaborating on What’s Love Got To Do With It, on Saturday, Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Beginning at 7 p.m. in the Kinsmen Rehearsal Hall (Room 1-20 of the Queen Elizabeth II Music Building), the evening’s program is the second event in the School of Music’s pro series season. It will be composed of Stuff We All Get, featuring the wonderous songs and stop-motion videos of songwriter, musician and artist Christine Fellows, as well as Love Songs to End Colonization, a performance art karaoke collaboration by artists Peter Morin and Jimmie Kilpatrick. On Thursday, Sept. 28, Morin, who is a former Visual Art professor at Brandon University, and Kirkpatrick, who is a Sessional Instructor in Creative Writing and Visual Art as well as a BU alumnus, will give an Artist Talk at the Glen P. Sutherland Gallery of Art at 2021 Victoria Ave., at 7 p.m.

“We have astonishingly innovative and talented people in our creative arts programs at BU,” said Greg Gatien, Brandon University’s Dean of Music. “Saturday’s performance promises to be riveting and thought-provoking. It’s a thrill to see so many creative minds come together to inspire us and to add to the conversation on Truth and Reconciliation.”

A woman holds her hands over her mouth
Christine Fellows

Fellows will be joined by BU professor Leanne Zacharias (cello), alumnx Ashley Au (bass), Jason Tait (drums, percussion) and special guests. The evening will also include a bannock reception. General admission is $20, but free for BU students. Thursday’s Artist Talk is free.

“One of the wonderful things that we see at BU is how members of different faculties and departments can come together to create,” said Dr. Balfour Spence, BU’s Acting Dean of Arts. “This is a prime example of how we can collaborate on projects that make meaningful contributions to the important issues that we face.”

The events are part of Truth and Reconciliation Week, a partnership between BU and community groups to gather, listen and learn on September 30 and throughout the week. For more Truth and Reconciliation Week events at BU, please visit BrandonU.ca/Indigenous/Gatherings/Truth-Reconciliation.

“It’s encouraging to have so many areas of our BU community planning activities and events to recognize Truth and Reconciliation Week. The efforts by our Fine Arts and Music programs are representative of the initiative being shown by people and groups across the campus,” said Chris Lagimodiere, BU’s Associate Vice-President for Indigenous Initiatives. “When we’re all working toward a common goal and sharing our perspectives and experiences, the entire effort becomes more meaningful.”

“When we’re all working toward a common goal and sharing our perspectives and experiences, the entire effort becomes more meaningful.”

Chris Lagimodiere, Associate Vice-President for Indigenous Initiatives

About the Artists

Christine Fellows is a songwriter and performer, whose practice includes paper collage, stop-motion video, sound design, and poetry. Fellows is based in Winnipeg, Treaty One Territory, where she collaborates with artists from all disciplines to create recordings, performance works, films, and videos. Over two decades, she has released eight solo albums and toured internationally both as a solo artist and as a collaborator, from the Canadian Arctic to Southern Australia.

A man is seated and holding a gold cymbal, while a man kneels next to him and holds a microphone. Both men are smiling.
Jimmie Kilpatrick, left, and Peter Morin

Peter Morin is a grandson of Tahltan Ancestor Artists. His work is informed by dreams, Ancestors, Family members, and performance art as a research methodology. He holds a tenured appointment in the Faculty of Arts at the Ontario College of Art and Design University in Toronto.

Jimmie Kilpatrick is a musician, educator, and interdisciplinary artist who works as a Sessional Instructor at Brandon University. He has been releasing records on Toronto’s You’ve Changed Records since 2009.

Contact

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About BU

Success is built at Brandon University. Our growing, progressive campus welcomes a diverse and inclusive community that combines proud tradition with shared ambition. Through our excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship, we educate students to make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders. Join us at BrandonU.ca.