Breathe In The Beauty Of The Day And The Beauty Of The Night by Kelly Church
GVSU Collection
This handmade and embellished mask was first on display in 2021 at
GVSU as part of the exhibition "The Art of the People:
Contemporary Anishinaabe Artists." The Anishinaabeg Peoples have
inhabited the Great Lakes area of Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and
sections of Canada for thousands of years. Anishinaabeg, which
translates to “People Whence Lowered” or “the Good Humans,”
encompasses several tribes that share similar languages and customs,
including the Ojibwe, Bodawatami, Odawa, Salteaux, and Chippewa. Kelly
Church was one artist featured in the exhibition, representing current
Anishinaabe artists who are still working within traditional methods
while tackling contemporary issues. On her work she states, "This
work was made in July when the Strawberries were growing and we had
the gift of seeing the comet. It is to remind us of the beauty that
surrounds us in nature, in the skies, even in the darkness that was
2020. Keep hope in your Heart, Be Kind, make small changes that impact
us all positively, and remember someone smiles when they think of you."
