The Storytelling of Caroline Monnet’s “Echoes of the Near Future”
Part II of II
Here is the second part of the previous post.
Caroline Monnet is an Anishinaabe-French multidisciplinary artist from Outaouais Québec whose work exemplifies many of the concepts discussed above. Her main interest is in using media and visual arts to convey and explore ideas of identity, specifically Indigenous identity and what it means to live bi-culturally. Some of the main issues that she has tackled through her work include the impact of colonialism and the possibilities that Indigenous methodologies can provide in response to issues such as climate change.[1] Her work tells stories or performs sym-poiesis as a reaction to climate change, as well as systemic and social injustices perpetrated against Indigenous lives.
The exhibition “Echoes from a Near Future” was on display in Toronto, Canada from September 16th to December 17th, 2022. The exhibit featured framed garments of clothing, positing them as conceptual vessels of time. Monnet’s choice of textiles is of significance as they convey stories by drawing connections between fabrics such as denim and cotton that are most often associated with clothing in contrast to cruder materials like felt and tarp. This use of textiles points to both societal and environmental issues, and their colonial legacies. By using textiles in her works of art, Monnet may be making a statement about the various connections that humans have with different materials. The contrast of refined and unrefined materials seems to represent a spectrum of human experiences and histories. Textiles associated with clothing, such as denim and cotton, have deep cultural and historical significance. These materials are often linked to the development of societies, fashion, and identity. By incorporating them into artistic expression, Monnet explores the relationship between human identity, culture, and the materials we use to adorn ourselves. By using textiles in an artistic context, Monnet transforms these everyday materials into something symbolic and thought-provoking. She reshapes the narrative surrounding these materials and invites the viewers to reconsider their significance. This too can be tied back to colonialism, which brought European textiles to Canada and effected Indigenous peoples there in various ways. Examples of this could be the use of blankets to spread smallpox and kill off Indigenous peoples, The use of cruder materials can be connected to the exploitation of Indigenous land for raw materials. By using materials associated with colonization and transforming them in art, Monnet could be reclaiming the narrative and asserting Indigenous agency and creativity.
The exhibition includes a series of busts that are a tribute to the many missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada. They point towards the social and political undertone of the display. The name, "Echoes from a Near Future" suggests that the works of art that make up this series are not only a reflection of present-day realities, but also a glimpse into a future that is in proximity. The future holds the possibility of both the positive and negative. The mention of three generations of Indigenous women overseeing the scene indicates a connection with heritage and continuity. The six regalia pieces form a central portal to futurity by suggesting a symbolic gateway to a favourable destiny.
The three generations of Indigenous women shown in figure 1 are overlooking the exhibition in a way, portraying the importance of heritage and community. Monnet describes the women in this photo as “warrior women.” They stand together “with their gaze fixed on the viewer and toward the future.”[2] This is the only photograph in the exhibition. It encapsulates the idea that the exhibition as a whole is trying to present about the envisioning of the future, while also drawing attention to the important roles that women play. The fact that there are only women in the photograph is significant. It reminds the viewer of the thousands of individuals impacted by the unimaginable numbers missing and murdered Indigenous women throughout Canada, an atrocity that has not been fully acknowledged by the Canadian government.[3]The exploration of art such as this, is a statement that these women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA peoples must not be forgotten. Although this may not seem directly related to climate change, we cannot hope to attain climate justice without social justice. This is especially relevant given the vast amounts of land along with land rights that have been stripped from Canada’s Indigenous population, as well as Indigenous peoples everywhere.
The materials used by Monnet to make the clothing worn by the women in the photograph are derived from building materials used in housing construction. Monnet does this in order to draw attention to the lack of adequate housing for Indigenous peoples. The use of industrial materials is part of Monnet’s signature style.[4] Monnet combines elements of industrial building materials with traditional garment production. This creates a unique mix of materials and techniques, creating both parallels and juxtapositions. The combination of industrial and traditional elements results in “hybrid correspondences.”[5] This mixture of elements suggests a synthesis (or sym-poiesis) of different cultural, historical, and material features. Monnet’s approach to her work goes beyond simply representing, but instead actively creates something new with the intention of inspiring thought or emotion. Her choice of material also addresses, both directly and indirectly, the relationships between the industrial complex, colonialism, Canadian Indigeneity, and humanity. Her art deals with and brings the viewers’ attention to complex socio-cultural and historical themes. Monnet invites the viewer to actively consider and reflect upon these complex relationships. The viewer is encouraged to not merely be a passive observer, but instead to engage with and think about the themes that are being presented through the artwork.
In Waterfall I and Waterfall II, layered strips of denim, a traditionally working-class material, are seen hanging on the gallery wall. The strips are held together with cement and wood and represent flowing water. Due to the way that the exhibition space is laid out, the use of shadows is part of the work. This installation is placed facing the photo shown in fig. 1, with various statues placed in between. Fig. 3 gives a better representation of this layout. The way that the various pieces of the installation are seen in relation to one another suggests a dynamic interplay between ideas of humanity, industry, past, and future. Monnet creates a “poetic narrative,”[6] attempting to bring new forms of meaning and thinking. Her work goes beyond visual representation and engages viewers in a symbolic and storytelling experience. There is a reinterpretation of the mainstream histories told about Indigenous peoples and a turning towards Indigenous storytelling. In the specifical reference to water, the viewer is invited to think about the important role this element plays in the survival of all life on earth as well as the fact that there is currently a lack of clean drinking water in many Indigenous communities.
Monnet creatively plays with juxtaposing various elements in her work. In doing this, she makes subtle references to larger issues affecting the Anishinaabe peoples as well as other First Nations cultures.[7] She challenges viewers to consider how our environments affect our health, both physical and mental. This is important given the current housing crisis faced by many First Nations communities across Canada. There are many instances of overcrowding, poor air quality, black mold, and boil-water advisories.[8] All of these problems are compounded by the damages to the natural environments caused by the escalating climate crisis. Her work is a visual portrayal of the Canadian government’s failure in providing adequate housing.[9]
While these are extremely serious issues, Monnet stresses that she aims to be playful and creative in her work. She focuses on the positive potentials for the future.[10] One of the ways in which she does this is by alluding to traditional Anishinaabe building techniques that involve working together in an interconnected system.[11] While sym-poiesis is a positive attribute when thinking about it in the interconnectedness of nature, peoples, and critters, there is also another side to it. What Monnet is showing is the ways that Indigenous peoples also have negative sym-poiesis with their environments that are imposed on them, which includes inadequate housing. When thinking about Indigenous relationships with the environment, we should not only consider and romanticise their closeness to nature, but also acknowledge precarious living conditions, which are often forced upon them.
In summary, "Echoes from a Near Future" embodies a multidimensional epistemology, that explores and expresses diverse ways of knowing and understanding. Monnet shows how materials have the potential to act as storytellers for culture, history, and identity.[12] Monnet’s work encompasses elements of history, culture, and social commentary, drawing attention to both the struggles and the victories of Indigenous communities, particularly women.
[1] Caroline Monnet, “About,” 15 Nov. 2023, https://carolinemonnet.ca/.
[2] “Echoes from a Near Future,” Art Gallery of Ontario, Oct. 19, 2022, https://ago.ca/agoinsider/echoes-near-future.
[3] The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Reclaiming Power and Place, 2022, https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Final_Report_Vol_1a-1.pdf.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Effy Morris, “Concomitant Water,” O BOD MAGAZINE, Jan. 5, 2023, https://www.obodmag.com/issue3/concomitant-water.
[6] Morris, 2023.
[7] Kate Taylor, “Artist Caroline Monnet Evokes Anishinaabe Culture,” The Globe and Mail, Jan. 23, 2023. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/art-and-architecture/article-artist-caroline-monnet-evokes-anishinaabe-culture-with-everyday/.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Alex Bowron, “Jen Aitken & Caroline Monnet,” Esse Arts Opinions, 103, no. 103 (2021): 113.
[10] Taylor, 2023.
[11] Bowron, 113.
[12] Ibid.