The Pandemic Project

Catherine Blackburn

This project captures the aspects of life faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most impactful experiences in recent human history.

About the Exhibition

As one of the most impactful experiences in recent human history it was important for Two Rivers Gallery to document this experience.

In April 2020, Two Rivers Gallery invited Bill Horne & Claire Kujundzic, in Wells, BC; Cat Sivertsen in Prince George, BC; Jordan Schwab and Karla Griffin in Quesnel, BC and Catherine Blakburn, in Thornhill, BC to produce artwork that captured aspects of life faced during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Horne, Kujundzic and Sivertsen in response to the isolation of a world shut down reached out to people and communities pursuing human connection, support and collaboration. Schwab and Griffin developed a collaborative video work focused around their desire to visit parts of the world rendered inaccessible during the pandemic. Catherine Blackburn’s introspective work considered aspects of isolation and the precious companionship shared, often online, over cups of tea. While these works are born of personal experiences, each artist’s work is likely to resonate broadly with viewers. A year into the pandemic we can easily recognize a yearning for the human connection we previously took for granted, and the deep longing for the resumption of normalcy.

Stay Home

This work aims to find agency in stillness through utilizing my body as a tool of resistance.

This pandemic lull has allowed for a shift in focus; centering systemic oppression, and for the privileged folk not affected by oppression, the onset of uncomfortable wokeness.

For myself as an Indigenous woman, there has been varying degrees of emotional exhaustion. On the days I choose not to interact with the world, my anger cools to the daily average; just below the boiling point. I do my best to channel it into my work when I simply have nothing left to say, or refuse to listen or engage in the continual racist noise. For many privileged folk that mean well, their contributions to harmful narratives continue, ‘how can we help?’, ‘teach me’, ‘explain to me’. These moments and feelings have been amplified through isolation. YOUR work is not MY job.

So with this, I’m in the process of creating a work that sounds out the world. I make my own noise while motioning ‘NO,’ using my head to activate the sounds. Through this I can drown out the noise while also being in control of it. I want to deny the viewers the comfort in this motion. Through using my body as a tool, like the Denesuline have done for centuries, I am enacting the deep knowledges of those that came before me. Through adorning my contemporary facemask and headpiece I create my own regalia used in protection against a world aimed at upholding racist systems that value white bodies above all others.

About the Artist

Catherine Blackburn

Catherine Blackburn was born in Patuanak Saskatchewan, of Dene and European ancestry and is a member of the English River First Nation. She is a multi-disciplinary artist and jeweller, whose common themes explore Indigenous sovereignty, decolonization and representation, often prompted by personal narratives.

More about Catherine

Her practice focuses primarily on the mediums of beadwork, sculpture and wearable work. Blackburn’s work has been presented in exhibitions and fashion runways both nationally and internationally. She is the recipient of the Melissa Levin Emerging Artist Award, a 2019 Sobey Art Award longlist nominee, and most recently, one of five artists selected for the prestigious Eitlejorg Contemporary Art Fellowship.