Meryl McMaster. Aussi forte que le vent | The Biosphere, Environment Museum
Exhibitions
Exploring the ancestral sites of her nation as well as the environments of her daily life, Meryl McMaster explores a history inscribed in the landscape. Through a series of photographic self-portraits taken in various locations across North America, she explores her ties to her Plains Cree/Métis ancestors on her father's side, and her British/Dutch ancestors on her mother's. Through her wanderings, the artist seeks to hear the memory of ancient sites. From visiting these places and telling ancient stories, a sense of connection emerges.
Her journeys sometimes take place in unknown territories or places that have forgotten the past. Her thoughts then turn to the great migrations her ancestors made, both by land and water, to trace her history.
In her images, where her imagination is given free rein, erratic boulders become the ancient guardians of the natural world; birds, companions she cradles and guides her to the answers she seeks in the sky; Insects, witnesses to the power of life and the importance of maintaining ecological balance.
The memory Meryl McMaster carries on her back intertwines generations and lineages, geological eras and ancestral territories. It is embodied in a series of outdoor images, where the beauty of the landscapes coexists with the memories of an often devastating colonial history. As Strong as the Wind showcases the work of an artist who faces the flow of time and reconnects with those who came before her.