“Skeena Reece is an artistic force,” said NIC Artist Talk coordinator and fine art and design department chair Sara Vipond. “Her numerous accolades are well-deserved and we’re honoured she is taking part in the Artist Talk Series.”
Reece comes from Tsimshian Territory, born of Métis/Cree and Tsimshian/Gitxsan descent. She has worked in the arts since 1996, broadening a multi-disciplinary practice that includes performance art, spoken word, writing, singing, ‘sacred clowning’ – a performance of a character who often says or does uncouth things to impart wisdom – and video arts.
She garnered national and international attention for Raven: On the Colonial Fleet (2010), a bold installation and performance work presented as part of the celebrated group exhibition Beat Nation.
Reece won a Leo Award for best performance by a female in the short drama category for her work on the 2009 short film Savage from director Lisa Jackson.
Recent exhibitions also include The Sacred Clown & Other Strangers in 2015, a solo exhibition of her performance costumes and documentation at Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art in Winnipeg, and the solo show Moss at Oboro Gallery in Montreal in 2017.
Reece also studied media arts at Emily Carr University of Art + Design and in 2012 received a BC Creative Achievement Award for First Nations Art. She also received a VIVA Award in 2014, one of the most prestigious art awards in the province.
Reece speaks from 6 to 7 pm at the Stan Hagen Theatre on the Comox Valley campus. Admission is free and everyone is invited.
The NIC Artist Talk series offers an engaging line-up of speakers that fosters students and professional artists in the community.
Kelly Richardson will be the series’ final speaker on Nov. 22. The series started on Sept. 27 with prominent Canadian painter Landon Mackenzie, followed by celebrated Victoria-based artist Mowry Baden (Oct. 11) and abstract painter Scott Bertram (Oct. 25).
The 2018 Artist Talk Series is made possible thanks to community gifts and corporate sponsorship, including key support from lead sponsor RBC Dominion Securities. If you are interested in supporting future Artist Talk events, please call 250-334-5085 or visit foundation.nic.bc.ca/what-can-i-do/sponsorship.
For more information on NIC’s Artist Talk Series, visit www.nic.bc.ca/fine-art.
