Talking Earth
See Talking Earth by Santee Smith in front of the Gardiner Museum.
Commissioned by the Gardiner Museum as part of ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art 2021—2022, Talking Earth is a permanent public artwork installed at the entrance to the Museum. The etched ceramic sculpture is inspired by a Rotinohnsyonni four-cornered earthen pottery vessel. It is fractured and partially reconstructed, with light shining through the cracks between the broken shards. The vessel symbolizes the disruption and trauma caused by colonization, including the legacy of the residential school system, assimilative policies imposed on womxn, and the crisis of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Womxn and Girls. Moving toward intactness, the vessel evokes the process of re-assembling culture, memory, and ancestral knowledge. Talking Earth debuted in June 2022 at the International Ceramic Art Fair. It was activated in a series of live durational performances on the Plaza, generously supported by Barry and Lindy Green.
Talking Earth
About Santee Smith
Tekaronhiáhkhwa / Santee Smith is a multidisciplinary artist from the Kahnyen’kehàka Nation, Turtle Clan, Six Nations of the Grand River, Haldimand Treaty lands. Santee trained for six years at Canada’s National Ballet School and holds Physical Education and Psychology degrees from McMaster University and a M.A. in Dance from York University. Santee produced her first choreographic work Kaha:wi—a family creation story in 2004 and later founded Kaha:wi Dance Theatre in 2005, which has grown into an internationally renowned company. Santee’s artistic work explores the intersection of Indigenous and new performance from an interdisciplinary, Konnonkwehón:we (Womxn’s) approach.
Santee is also a pottery designer at her family studio, Talking Earth Pottery. Her pieces have been featured in numerous private and public collections around the globe and in museums such as the Woodland Cultural Centre and the Canadian Museum of History. Santee is a sought-after teacher and speaker on the performing arts and Indigenous performance and culture. Her life and works have been the topic of TV series and films and most recently on CBC Arts – The Move II. Smith is the 19th Chancellor of McMaster University.
Acknowledgments
Talking Earth: Ceramic Commission
Public Art Commission: Gardiner Museum; Inspiration: Elda “Bun” Smith, Steven T. Smith, Leigh Smith; Concept/Design/Ceramic Sculptural: Santee Smith; Ceramic Sculptural Builder: Jordi Alfaro; Ceramic Technical: Carmela Laganse; Clay Slip: Steven T. Smith; Consultants: Leigh Smith and Steven T. Smith; Technical Build/Framing: Mike Kukucska at Hamilton Scenic Specialty Inc.; Engineer: Azra Ross at Epiphany Engineering; Digital Media/3D Animation: Emma Lopez, Pedro Narvaez at AVA Animation & Visual Arts Inc.; A/V studio: Thru The Red Door; Creation/Production Partner: McMaster Studio Arts, Operations and Productions, Faculty of Humanities – McMaster University; Operations and Production Manager: Patrick Brennan; Technical support/Documentation: James Kendal; Studio support: Troy Coulterman, Briana Palmer, Ana Maria Skrtic, Judy Major-Girardin, Eric Euler, Alex Roberts, Benjamin Cummings; Additional facility and studio support/firing: Sumanth Shankar; Documentary Footage of Steven T. Smith: Ralph Brown at Waterfront Productions
Performance
Producer: Kaha:wi Dance Theatre; Creator/Design/Performer: Santee Smith; Live Vocalist/Durational Potter: Semiah Smith; Dramaturgy: Monique Mojica; Musical Score: Energies featuring the vocals by Jennifer Kreisberg, Impending Doom by Adrian Dion Harjo; Ohnekanos the Waters by David R. Maracle with additional mixing by Donald Quan; Here On Earth – Opening and Duet songs composed and performed by Donald Quan; Kaha:wi Soundtrack – Death produced by Santee Smith with Dan Hill (flute) and Bob Doidge; Clay composed and performed by Jennifer Kreisberg; Music Recording and Mixing: Brody Joseph, Thru The Red Door; Production Manager: James Kendal; Event Assistant: Senjuti Sarker; Event Technical Production: Solotech Inc.
Talking Earth Sponsors
