In this hands-on workshop we’ll look at examples from the MOA Collection, discuss the historical role of mending, and reflect on how the relationships humans have with our clothing and other personal belongings often show cultural values and priorities. We’ll look at innovative examples of contemporary mending practice across the spectrum of arts and crafts.

This will be followed by a lively discussion circle with show and tell, and hands-on mending session. We invite you to bring items of clothing to mend (small items requiring hand-stitching are recommended). Amy will share instructions and resources for a variety of mending techniques and focus on your specific questions.

Suitable for ages 10 and up. Children under the age of 10 should be accompanied by an adult. All skill levels are welcome; no experience required.

Tip: We’ll supply tools and materials including a variety of fabric and thread, but feel free to bring your own fabric pieces for inspiration and experimentation.

Tip: If you have previously mended pieces, feel free to bring them along for show-and-tell, and share your knowledge with the group.

Bio

Amy ‘Biker’ Walker is a lifelong cyclist and designs sociable crafting activities which she delivers to public places by Makemobile, a cargo bike that transforms into an arts and crafts studio. She wants to live in a world where we listen to each other’s stories as we darn each other’s socks.

In the beautifully illustrated work of the art of Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Mischief Making: Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Art, and the Seriousness of Play (UBC Press, 2021) author Nicola Levell disproves any notion that play is frivolous. Deploying mischievous tactics, Yahgulanaas uses his art to shine a spotlight on serious topics and reveals his deep understanding of the seriousness of play. His refiguring of lines and stories opens up a realm in which the disruption of what’s expected allows different ways of experiencing, knowing and seeing the world to emerge.

Bodies of Enchantment: Puppets from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas (Figure 1 Publishing, 2021) features over 150 photographs among chapters by ten contributors. Edited by Nicola Levell, Bodies of Enchantment offers a behind-the-scenes look at her award-winning 2019 MOA exhibition, Shadows, Strings and Other Things: The Enchanting Theatre of Puppets, and describes the museum’s role as an imaginarium. The contributors highlight still-vital traditional puppetry practices, as well as modern adaptations of the form: exquisite leather shadow puppets depict ancient Indian epics in modern-day Indonesia; Taiwan’s long-running Pili glove puppetry show thrives in the digital era; and Indigenous filmmaker Amanda Strong uses stop-motion animation to create entrancing new realms.

At this special double book launch, internationally recognized authors, artists and curators Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Nicola Levell, Sutrisno Hartana and Jill Baird will be in attendance to celebrate and to profile their writings, art practice and MOA’s collections. Opening remarks will be followed by a book signing.

Free; museum admission not required to attend.
Copies of the books will be available for purchase in the MOA Shop.

Bios

Nicola Levell is an award-winning curator, writer and associate professor of museum and visual anthropology at UBC.

Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas is an internationally celebrated visual artist, author and professional speaker.

Sutrisno Hartana is a scholar and a master of Javanese gamelan music and wayang kulit shadow puppetry.

Jill Baird is MOA’s Curator of Education known for her innovative programs and exhibition-making.

Sankofa, which runs from November 4, 2021 to March 27, 2022, features works by both African and Black Canadian artists, in conversation with objects in MOA’s permanent collection. This reflective exhibition celebrates different ways of understanding the world through the lenses of African and Black communities, the wealth of their cultural and art practices, and their inspiring legacy.

These one-hour exhibition tours will give visitors the opportunity to engage with the themes and ideas of the exhibition through diverse perspectives. They will be led by a range of speakers, including:

• – Nuno Porto (MOA Curator, Africa + South America; exhibition co-curator)
• – Nya Lewis (exhibition guest co-curator; founder + director of BlackArt Gastown)
• – Titilope Salami (exhibition guest co-curator; artist; PhD candidate, UBC)
• – Damara Jacobs-Petersen (MOA Curator of Indigenous Programming)
• – Oluwasayo Olowo-Ake (curator of Oruko Mi Ni: Reinterpreting Ibeji; MA candidate, Art History, Visual Art + Theory, UBC)
• – Njamba Koffi (author of Refuge-e: The Journey Much Desired; BA student, International Relations and Affairs, UBC)
• – Stephanie Allen (co-founder of Hogan’s Alley Society)
• – And others

Community members or organizations who would like to participate as guest speakers of one of these exhibition tours with MOA Curator Nuno Porto are welcome to contact Nadin Hassan, MOA Public Programs Assistant at programs@moa.ubc.ca.

Tour dates (3 – 4pm)

Saturday, November 6
Saturday, November 13
Saturday, November 20 with Damara Jacobs-Peterson (MOA Curator of Indigenous Programming)
Saturday, November 27 with Oluwasayo Tayo Olowo-Ake (Critical and Curatorial Studies, UBC)

Saturday, December 4
Saturday, December 11

Learn more about how to care for objects with some of the knowledgeable members of MOA’s Conservation team: Mauray Toutloff, Hope Lafarge, and Esther Knegt. They will talk about concepts of conservation, with a focus on preventative conservation that anyone can apply at home, and they will include examples of their recent projects from the MOA collections. This will be followed by a Q + A where you can discuss your own family heirlooms, antiques, and other prized possessions, and find out how to preserve and care for them.

Tip: Feel free to bring photos of your objects at home to share during the discussion, in order to get some more detailed conservation advice.

Free with museum admission. Limited capacity.

Bios

Mauray Katherine Toutloff is an objects conservator at MOA. She has an M.A.C. from Queen’s University and a B.Sc. from the University of Regina. Mauray is focused on collaborative research for preventative and treatment-oriented conservation strategies. She lectures on conservation for the Department of Anthropology, is the regional representative for the Canadian Association of Conservation, and is an ardent supporter of disseminating conservation education and training to students, volunteers, community members and the public.

Hope La Farge holds a Master’s in Art Conservation from Queen’s University and her specialty is in the conservation  of  ethnographic and archaeological objects. Hope works at MOA as a Conservation Research Assistant, working closely alongside the conservation and collections team as well as collaborating closely with Musqueam, the Laboratory of Archaeology, and MOA in support of wet-site archaeological conservation. She believes that art conservation has an immense potential to influence future generations by creating new experiences, generating collaborative educational opportunities, and initiating supportive communities.

Esther Knegt is a graduate of the Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management program at Fleming College and her background centres around archaeology, with previous experience in treating and preserving objects from underwater sites. Working at MOA has exposed her to a diverse ethnographic collection, much of which has intimate connections to originating communities. Outside of work, she is interested in public outreach and is a member of the Canadian Association of Conservation’s sub-committee, the Emerging Conservator Committee, where she helps create events and resources for other emerging conservators.

Presented in conjunction of MOA’s new feature exhibition Sankofa: African Routes, Canadian Routes, this night of music celebrates “sankofa,” the act of taking pride in one’s heritage in order to help move forward into the future.

Sound House: Take Root showcases musical talents of Vancouver-based artists of the African diaspora, featuring genre-bending Ghanian-British songstress Maia Wallace; award-winning Nigerian-born Afro R&B artist Sade Awele; and up-and-coming Zimbabwean rapper Brandon Bwanakocha.

Sound House is MOA’s music series, now in its third season, featuring a fantastic and eclectic lineup of Vancouver bands and artists—from spoken word to hip hop to soul. Sound House is a celebration of culture and music, set in MOA’s Haida House, against a stunning backdrop of Northwest Coast art and architecture. Let the picturesque views and scent of cedar inhabit your senses.

Doors | 7 pm
Performance | 7:15 pm

Proof of vaccination

As per provincial orders, all special event participants 12 and older will be required to provide proof of vaccination (eg. BC Vaccine Card). MOA reserves the right to deny entry or participation to anyone who doesn’t comply with MOA’s stated policies, procedures and visitor code of conduct.

Bios

Maia Wallace is an industrious artist from Vancouver who prioritizes authenticity and creativity in her art. Her lyricism and wide vocal range touch upon the realities of life from relationships with the self to the ones you love. Born in the UK, she spent her childhood moving to Ghana, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. Maia has been surrounded by sounds of all backgrounds, which influence her desire to mix genres and create unique sounds.

Brandon Bwanakocha also known as Bwanaz, is a rising Vancouver rap star. Born and raised in Zimbabwe, his unique flow and wordplay have gained him attention at events such as the Richmond World Festival and the Vancouver African Descent Festival.

Sade Awele is the Afro-infused R&B artist we have been waiting for. Having won AFAM’s female artist of the year award, she has captivated listeners with her timeless lyrics and jazzy tone. The Nigerian-born, Canadian singer is inspired by her Yoruba & Ibo heritage, which is experienced in her music ranging from Afro-soul and conscious alternative R&B to neo-soul and contemporary R&B.

Take a moment in your day to kick back, relax, and enjoy some delicious treats and musical performances at MOA’s popular annual Food + Culture Fest, while supporting an important cause. Your ticket includes a samosa, cookie, chai, henna tattooing, and live sita and tabla performances.

The UBC United Way Campaign is an annual workplace campaign that runs in the fall (October – December) and creates a great opportunity for students, staff, and faculty on campus to connect, network and raise funds for a great cause. United Way is a non-profit organization working to strengthen vital connections that support people in need in our local communities.

Presented as part of MOA’s new feature exhibition Sankofa: African Routes, Canadian Routes (November 4, 2021 – March 27, 2022), this edition of MOA’s Artists Unscripted series features Nigerian-based artists Peju Layiwola and Victor Ehikhamenor in conversation with exhibition co-curator Titilope Salami. Dig deeper into the two artists’ works featured in the exhibition, and join in conversations around their practice in relation to repatriation as well as the idea of “authentic” African art.

The Artists Unscripted online series focuses on listening and learning from established and emerging artists. They will be sharing some of their current projects and the ideas that make them want to create. Each event will include a live discussion and a Q&A.

Bios

Victor Ehikhamenor is a Nigeria-born multimedia artist, photographer and writer. Throughout his prolific career he has produced abstract, symbolic, politically and historically motivated works. He has exhibited works at numerous exhibitions and biennales including the 57th Venice Biennale (2017). He is the founder of Angels and Muse, a thought laboratory dedicated to promoting and developing contemporary African art and literature in Lagos, Nigeria.

Peju Layiwola is an artist and professor of art history at the University of Lagos and also runs two artist’s platforms in Lagos, Nigeria: Women and Youth Art Foundation and MasterArtClasses. Her research, writing and artistic engagements have consistently engaged themes of artifact pillage, restitution, history, memory and the artistic trajectories of African and diaspora artists. She has published several articles both locally and internationally and had several exhibitions, including her most referenced solo show, Benin 1897.com: Art and the Restitution Question (2010). She is president of the Art Council of the African Studies Association.

Titilope Salami is an artist, curator, and lecturer of visual arts at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Her group exhibitions include Jubilation (2014), Diversiform (2018), Strength of Women (2019), and On and On (2019), and she participated in the performance Red Day (2017) with Jelili Atiku. Salami is currently conducting her Ph.D. research in the history and policies of West African museums at UBC.

hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ is the traditional language of the Musqueam people. Learn a short song, practice some pronunciations, then sing out loud with gusto! Come and have fun, and learn a bit about the language that has been spoken in this region for thousands of years. No previous singing experience required.

MOA Programming Assistant Nadin Hassan will run a button-making station during the sing-along. Participants can choose their favourite hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ word that they can put on a button to take home. Supplies provided.

This event is suitable for children ages 5 to 12.

The discussion is an opportunity for BIPOC curators and cultural workers to learn about care, approach and methodology of curating, as well as an opportunity to discuss diversification and navigating predominantly white institutions.

The discussion will be followed by a tour of Sankofa: African Routes, Canadian Roots, led by exhibition co-curators Nya Lewis and Nuno Porto (MOA Curator, Africa + South America).

Nya Lewis is a Vancouver-based independent curator, and MFA candidate at OCAD. A writer, activist, and community organizer committed to building just and inclusive cultural and social infrastructure in Vancouver – her work celebrates the strength and perseverance of Black Canadian culture, history and its diversity.

Schedule

Discussion facilitated by Nya Lewis | 1 – 3 pm
Exhibition tour | 3 – 3:30 pm
Reception | 3:30 – 4:00pm

Sankofa is the idea of moving forward while reaching back to connect to one’s heritage. It is the notion that taking pride in heritage helps us to move into the future. Sankofa: African Routes, Canadian Roots is a thought-provoking exhibition that looks at some of the divergent—and often fragmented—paths of political mobilization and cultural assertion that African and Black people in the diaspora have taken. Centered on works by contemporary artists from Lagos, Nigeria, and Vancouver, in conversation with objects in MOA’s permanent collection, this exhibition shares stories, histories and projects of African and Black affirmation. In particular, it draws connections to historical contributions and the growing vitality of Black Canadians in Vancouver.

Curated by Nya Lewis (founder + director, BlackArt Gastown), Nuno Porto (MOA Curator, Africa + South America) and Titilope Salami (PhD candidate, Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory, UBC).

Pre-recorded remarks at 7 pm.