“A multidisciplinary artist with roots in Papaschase First Nation, amiskwaciy waskahikan (Edmonton) and Kikino Metis Settlement, Cheryl L’Hirondelle—now based in Saskatoon—has been active in the arts since the 1980s. Working in a wide variety of mediums, from performance, to visual arts, to music, her goal is always the same, to investigate and attempt to articulate “the dynamism of nehiyawin (Cree worldview) in contemporary time-place.” where the voice touches (((acts, utterances, transmissions for freedom))), hosted by the Banff Centre’s Walter Phillips Gallery from February 13th to June 21st 2026 is a career-spanning exhibition of her work.

With a portfolio of this scale and scope to draw from, it’s inevitable that the curation will have a significant influence on the experience, so before I continue I want to take a moment to acknowledge the work of Jacqueline Bell, the director of the Walter Phillips Gallery, and Tarah Hogue, a Red River Metis curator who is currently working as Adjunct Curator (Indigenous Art) at Remai Modern in Saskatoon, who curated the show. They had a lot to choose from, and the show they put together manages to feel both comprehensive—with pieces chosen from a wide range of eras and disciplines—and cohesive. 

Much of L’Hirondelle’s work is experiential and I personally enjoyed going into the show not knowing exactly what to expect. If you can make it out to Banff before June 21st, consider checking it out for yourself before reading this. I assume most readers won’t be able to make it out, so I’m going to try to give a fairly thorough account, which might “spoil” a few surprises…”

Read it Here