Kssá\;á\;hkom Á\;á \;ssksinima&rsquo\;tstohki&mdash\;a Blackfoot word meaning &ldquo\;the lan d is our teacher&rdquo\;&mdash\;is an exhibition that honors the deep rela tionship between the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot people) and the places that sha pe identity\, memory\, and story. Through traditional art practices to con temporary artworks\, the exhibition reveals how the land itself is a livin g relative\, a library of stories\, and a teacher of ways of being. These artistic traditions have been shaped by land\, ceremony\, and daily life i nto the innovative visual language of Niisitapi artists working today.
\nRather than separating &ldquo\;past&rdquo\; and &ldquo\;present\,&rdq uo\; the exhibition shows what Blackfoot people have always known: art is a continuous flow\, carried through families\, landscapes\, stories\, and ways of knowing. Ancient forms live in contemporary works and new artistic practices echo the designs and teachings of our ancestors\, reinforcing t he Blackfoot people&rsquo\;s connection to our traditional territory and t he knowledge that has been derived from nature.
\nThe exhibition gat hers Blackfoot artists whose work reflects long-held relationships with th e land\, animals and cosmos. Through hide painting\, ledger art\, digital art\, beadwork\, and quillwork these artists show the land not as scenery but as a storyteller. Niisitapi/Blackfoot art remains rooted in identity\, and our close relationship to the environment.
\nArtworks by John I saiah Pepion\, Bryce Manyfingers/Singer\, Jackie Larson Bread\, Serene Wea sel Traveller\, and Kiitokii.
\nArtwork image: John Pepion\, Blue Ro an\, ink\, color pencil\, and acrylic on antique ledger paper. Image court esy of the artist.
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