“Common Truths” Visual Art Display in Leader
By Mallory Cawthra
LEADER - From now until November 23rd, 2021, go and view Donna Langhorne’s “Common Truths” art display in Council Chambers at the Leader Town Office. Also known as “Donna the Strange,” Langhorne is the self-taught artist behind the “Common Truths” visual art painting series. Langhorne currently resides in Air Ronge in Northern Saskatchewan and painted the “Common Truths” series in the Woodlands style, which is influenced by her ancestral Anishinaabe roots as a Fishing Lake First Nation member, located on Treaty 4 territory. Langhorne incorporates vibrant and captivating colours, along with strong outlines, throughout the series and highlights “20 common truths impacting Indigenous people.” The truths include but are not limited to alcohol and addictions, residential schools, suicide, disproportionate incarceration, murdered and missing Indigenous women, human trafficking and stereotypes. Langhorne’s paintings may elicit an emotional response from the viewer due to the heavy nature of the subject matter.
Langhorne explained about her work: “References drawn from the TRC [The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada], the media, and/or the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, are included for each of the 20 Common Truths.” Each of the five groups (classes) of paintings contains four art pieces (doodem clans, also known as animal totems), telling a story with the integration of an animal from the Anishinaabe culture that requires the viewer to look deeper in order to unpack the common truths.
“It was a natural fit for OSAC [the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils], to tour “Common Truths,” which was chosen based on its artistic merit and cultural relevance … we are really excited about her work; these are hard topics and beautiful paintings,” explained Zoë Schneider, Visual and Media Arts Coordinator for OSAC. Pamela Sifert is the Visual Arts Coordinator for the Leader and District Arts Council. She further explained: “OSAC has visual art touring program called Arts on the Move. Normally, our arts council members attend the annual Showcase conference, where the musicians or other performing artists audition their performances and choose which shows we think would best suit our audience. This had to change in the last year and a half, so we have had to just choose our shows over virtual platform and book them for our community.”
“I have always taken all of my Arts Education students to the town office whenever there is a visual arts display because, for many of them, this is their only opportunity to experience looking at art and responding to different types of art. When I walked out after my first tour with my Art 10 students on Monday afternoon, my heart felt very heavy with sadness after learning the background of each painting. This is the “truth” piece of the “Truth and Reconciliation” that we, as Canadians, must all face at this moment in history,” Sifert added.
The paintings make reference to traditional teachings and concepts and look to the Anishinaabe clan structure to help with healing, recovery and forward action. Brooke Clary, a member of the Leader and District Arts Council, said, “With our partnership with OSAC, they make it quite easy to bring in amazing art exhibits into rural locations. What would be a four-hour plus drive to see this level of fine arts in a gallery becomes a five-minute walk to see it in our own town office.”
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