"Artwork lines the hallways and is peppered through the rooms of Ontario’s Legislative Building. Landscapes, genre scenes and portraits of Ontario’s past Lieutenant Governors, Premiers and Speakers showcase the history and traditions of our province. However the story told is incomplete, lacking the narratives of the province’s varied peoples.

As the seat of Ontario’s provincial parliament, the Legislative Building is a physical symbol representing our province and a space that can celebrate Ontario’s many voices. The goal of Gathering Place is to bring forward and honour the experiences of Ontario’s numerous Aboriginal peoples, as well as to build a bridge of understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities.

Aboriginal communities from across the province have generously loaned their artwork and cultural expressions to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for this project. This collection of artwork allows us to see Ontario in a special light, one that is focused on the relationship between people and nature.

The Legislative Assembly of Ontario is humbled to have Gathering Place housed within its walls, a lasting and living legacy of our province’s rich Aboriginal presence."

- Statement from the Legislative Assembly of Ontario website

Curator: Jaime Koebel

Artists: Barry Ace, Christi Belcourt, Simon Brascoupé, David White Deer Charette, Kelly Duquette, Myrosia Humeniuk, Nathalie Mantha, Florence Yee

Vernissage: Thursday, June 22, 5:30 to 7:30 pm 

Artist talk with Kelly Duquette and Florence Yee: Friday, June 23, 12 to 12:45 pm. Presented in English at Karsh-Masson Gallery. All welcome. Free admission.

...

"Wâpikwanew means blossom in Nehiyawewin (the Cree language), and blossoms are a form of natural beauty that emerges in the wake of a winter’s sleep. From floral beadwork to ink on eggs, from paint on canvas to birch bark bitings, floral images are a source of symbolism that support self-identification, cultural identity, memory, traditional knowledge and meditation. 

Through this exhibition, I hope to express two main ideas. First and foremost, I want to highlight how floral art serves as a source of inspiration and connection in so many cultures, something that I personally witnessed in my youth. Secondly, I want to share how flowers provided a kind of balance that took my mind away from the less beautiful things around me. […]

This exhibition is meant to be enjoyed and I hope it brings you happiness and encourages you to think about how flowers are represented in your own life."

- Excerpt from the essay by Jaime Koebel