“Gimiwan//Look to the Sky”
Gimiwan//Look to the Sky is a non-linear narrative woven together from pieces of memories, family, landscape, home and multigenerational collaboration. Gimiwan is the Ojibwe word for rain/it rains. Inside the space, the Gimiwan story encapsulates visual elements connected by rain and references to water or locations in close proximity to water.
The Gimiwan//Look to the Sky story was created from an intuitive making process allowing location and surroundings to influence the story elements. Portions of the mural were created in collaboration with my 6- year-old nephew, Timo. We spoke briefly about ideas of what we could create in the space but a majority was made on the spot experimentally. After Timo would work for a day in certain spots, I would come back on another day and respond to his work. For instance, Timo incorporated his Diné language on the back of the door with the word, “hágoóneeʼ” meaning goodbye. My response to that was to create a wolf and ancient being saying, “boozhoo” and “aniin” meaning hello; how are you in Ojibwe.
Gimiwan//Look to the Sky will resonate differently within each person. The visual elements will connect a unique narrative depending on what memories and histories each person brings with them. Whether it be a quirky story about color and movement, or a more serious anecdotal about climate change and human impact, there is no right or wrong in its perception.