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My Mother’s Tongue | Opening Reception
April 26 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm EDT
Free
The Art Gallery of Mississauga invites you to the opening reception of My Mother’s Tongue, a group exhibition of contemporary art that investigates the suppression of language and identity across different cultures and histories. Join us for an afternoon to celebrate the exhibition opening alongside the artists and curator.
Refreshments will be provided. Registration is recommended but not required.
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Throughout the centuries, from early colonialism to communist Eastern Europe and Apartheid South Africa, the powers that be banned Indigenous languages, stole land, and muted cultural identity. The history, language, and art of the colonized were usurped by what the aggressors deemed as politically and culturally appropriate, thus silencing any form of dissent. This led to a sense of mourning; an experience of loss and grief of not just the physical self, but also the spiritual self.
My Mother’s Tongue looks at this silencing of different cultures, from South Korea and Canada through to South Africa and Pakistan. Through different artistic mediums, it exposes the exploitation and incarceration of people’s multi-dimensional identities. Language is passed down through generations of a culture’s history, ensuring its survival. The works in this exhibition explore how one navigates loss, disconnection, anger, and pain after their mother tongue has been silenced. This violent act is a recurring practice throughout history and continues to this day. Featuring works by artists Joi T. Arcand, Insoon Ha, Mohau Modisakeng, Baljit Singh, and James Webb, My Mother’s Tongue gives a platform to these voices that once were silenced, and a chance to reawaken them through art.
This exhibition is made possible thanks to TD Bank Group through the Bank’s Corporate Citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment.
My Mother’s Tongue asks: What happens when cultural inheritance is stolen? The artists in this exhibition examine the consequences of forced linguistic erasure while celebrating the enduring strength of cultural identity.
Funding for the Art Gallery of Mississauga is provided by the City of Mississauga, Canada Council for the Arts, TD Bank Group, Rama Gaming House, and Charitable Gaming Community Good.
ABOUT THE CURATOR:
Musha Neluheni is an artist and curator from Johannesburg, South Africa who joined the AGM in February 2024 as TD Programming Curator, a 2-year contract position. She previously served as Contemporary Curator and Acting Chief Curator at the Johannesburg Art Gallery and was co-curator of the South African Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale. Neluheni has held positions on the Standard Bank Art Committee and the Theme Panel for the South African Mint. Her exhibition There is Only Light, and Shadow won Best Curated Show at the 2016 Turbine Art Fair. She holds a BFA from Rhodes University and has contributed to several publications, including the online forum The Archival Platform.
For more information
Call us at 905-276-3200
Visit us at www.artgalleryofmississauga.com
Email us at contact@artgalleryofmississauga.com
