Aboriginal Human Rights Art Seminar 2007 in collaboration with the United Nations and Amnesty International at Ottawa Carleton District School Board.
During March 2007, Graham Thompson in collaboration with the United Nations and Amnesty International, conducted an Aboriginal Human Rights Art Seminar at the Ottawa Carleton District School Board of Ottawa Canada
By illustrating the spiritual connection Aboriginal People have to the Earth, Thompson in conjunction with speakers from the UN and Amnesty International, worked with students to create Aboriginal Human Rights themed paintings and drawings based on Medicine Wheel principals and Archival images of Native American life prior to colonization.
Medicine Wheel Beliefs and Principles were discussed using an interactive video based presentation North-South-East-West. The presentation North-South-East-West (NSEW), with accompanying talk, has an introduction that illustrates Ontario’s past, its present day mass media culture, and its technological future.
The main section of NSEW begins in the east where the earth gives birth to a new day, to a new life and to the feeling of deep peace and belongingness. As well the east represents the first challenge in life – the test of survival. The animation celebrates the tiny frail flowers that live another day and open to greet the sun.
The eastern section is followed by illustrations of the earth’s southern personality. The south brings the heat of the summer, the bloom of adolescence and the quest for a vision. The south represents the time we are given to discover our meaning and the ability to hold the power of this vision as our secret.
The southern section is followed by meditations on the west. The west represents adulthood, autumn and the path of the vision discovered in our youth. In autumn the cool winds of the west signal the end of summer and a time of preparation – an adult time. In this direction or season of life, we learn that the path of our vision is not easy. The difficulties come like thunder clouds, yet they bring rains that “wash away yesterday” and allow us to renew ourselves and continue our work as in adulthood we realize that the sun will set before our path is complete.
The piece completes the cycle of directions, seasons and stages of life in the north. The north represents winter, old age and the wisdom of the path of the vision. It is at this stage that our view of life is simple and uncomplicated, like a landscape where blankets of snow hide the complexities of the terrain. This is the time to have courage to live and embrace the changes of the final stage of life.
The North South East West new media series can be summarized by mapping the geographic and climatic themes onto a matrix as shown below
|
Childhood |
Youth |
Adulthood |
Old Age |
|
Survival |
Vision |
Path |
Wisdom |
|
East |
South |
West |
North |
|
Spring |
Summer |
Autumn |
Winter |
|
Sunrise |
Noon |
Sunset |
Evening |
|
Hope, Optimism and Belonging |
Bloom and Identity |
Westerly Winds Bring Clouds |
Life Review Like a Snow Covered Forest |
SHERRY PAINTS 