Carmen L. Robertson

The first book, Clearing a Path: New Ways of Seeing Traditional Indigenous Art, is edited by First Nations University of Canada scholar Carmen Robertson and noted Saskatchewan Métis artist and scholar, Sherry Farrell Racette.

"In 2005, as part of the province's centennial celebrations, the Saskatchewan Arts Board contracted Carmen Robertson and Sherry Farrell Racette to curate an exhibition which would bring together a diverse group of contemporary artists working in traditional Indigenous media," says Brian Mlazgar, publications manager of the CPRC. "When Clearing a Path opened in November of that year, few could have predicted the strength of its work. More than three years later, the exhibition continues to flourish and tour."

The exhibition catalogue includes photographs of the works and brief biographies of the 21 participating artists. Artists' statements for many of the pieces provide unique insight into the artistic process and the artist's connection to his or her history and traditions. In two introductory essays, Robertson and Farrell Racette explore the history of traditional artists and their art: the criminalization of indigenous arts and ceremonies, the subsequent loss of culture through colonization and more recently, the struggle to have their work considered "art" rather than "handicraft."

The first book to examine the role of Canada’s newspapers in perpetuating the myth of Native inferiority. Seeing Red is a groundbreaking study of how Canadian English-language newspapers have portrayed Aboriginal peoples from 1869 to the present day. It assesses a wide range of publications on topics that include the sale of Rupert’s Land, the signing of Treaty 3, the North-West Rebellion and Louis Riel, the death of Pauline Johnson, the outing of Grey Owl, the discussions surrounding Bill C-31, the “Bended Elbow” standoff at Kenora, Ontario, and the Oka Crisis. The authors uncover overwhelming evidence that the colonial imaginary not only thrives, but dominates depictions of Aboriginal peoples in mainstream newspapers. The colonial constructs ingrained in the news media perpetuate an imagined Native inferiority that contributes significantly to the marginalization of Indigenous people in Canada. That such imagery persists to this day suggests strongly that our country lives in denial, failing to live up to its cultural mosaic boosterism.

Additional Information
336 pages | 6.00" x 9.00"