Duane Linklater: mâcistan Exhibition at Secession Exploring Indigenous Life and Cultural Memory

This exhibition by Duane Linklater, titled 'mâcistan', explores the concepts of collecting, curating, and preserving artifacts and memories. It critically examines museum conventions and Indigenous life conditions, using a custom-built modular structure to house personal and found objects.

Duane Linklater's exhibition 'mâcistan' delves into the practices of collecting and creating worlds through objects, drawing parallels between personal archives and the broader, often colonial, history of museum collections. Linklater, an Omaskêko Ininiwak artist, critically engages with the conditions of Indigenous peoples within contemporary and historical contexts. For this exhibition at the Secession, he has developed a site-specific modular structure centered around the concept of a 'cache' – a collection or compilation of things. This structure serves as a framework for displaying paintings, found objects, furniture, and various materials, reflecting Linklater's personal process of collection and care. Household items and family belongings are stored high up, suggesting potential future use. The term 'cache' also references archaeological finds in and around Ottawa, highlighting the complex narratives woven into the circulation and preservation of objects, feelings, and ideas globally. Linklater's work with family collections is an act of careful restoration, emphasizing cultural continuity despite the colonial context of displacement and erasure. The structure itself metaphorically represents the restoration of damaged elements and the maintenance of connections across historical ruptures.

Ticketing information for the exhibition can be found via the provided link to Eventjet, which handles Secession's ticket sales. General museum operating hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 6 PM.