Suzanne Morrissette
She Taught Me How to Make Things to Use/I Taught Myself to Make Things to Use
mixed media installation / 81" x 24" x 53"
She Taught Me How to Make Things to Use / I Taught Myself to Make Things to Use investigates ideas of utilitarian objects and elder-based, Aboriginal, and non-Aboriginal matrilineal teachings. Attempting to come close to historical processes through mentorship and research enables the exploration into pre- and post-colonial techniques in order to attain some insight into historical productions and lifestyle. Inconsistencies in written and oral historical traditions complicate and drive the narrative of this project. Through the process of making objects in a repetitive manner, I am attempting to understand a history that contributes to the formulation of present-day Aboriginal identities.