I first met Darin Corbiere during a visit with my friend, Lisa Redpath at Studio 2880. We were introduced and my thinking was; "another artist, another peer, another potential collaborator". I left it at that and went about life and my term as the Resident Artist for the Community Arts Council of Prince George & District. I then saw Darin's work. I think it was at the Annual Spring Arts Bazaar. I knew I had to find out more, talk about his technique, his vision, his style. The colours were bold, bright and beautifully combined. The subject matter, although beyond my knowledge of Anishanaabe legend, were still beautiful and one could see the story even if ignorant of the legend.
Darin works in what he describes as the Eastern Woodland style. Using white ash and interpreting the stories each slab of wood holds, Darin is both honest and cheeky as with the piece, "Uranus". If you ever get a chance, and I hope you do, to meet Darin, ask him about that particular piece. It is refreshing to meet an artist that is as humorous as they are passionate about the messages that are conveyed in the art. Too often, we take ourselves far too seriously. Granted, we are the voice, the storytellers, the truth-tellers, and the visual identity of our society. We just need to remember not to take ourselves so damn serious. Darin is part of that reminder.
Having said that, Darin's Truth and Reconciliation Game has beautiful pieces that convey some of the legends of his people and remind us that there are greater issues. They remind us of our history and the need to acknowledge and reconcile that history so that we can all move on.
Primarily alcohol ink on wood. Darin adds a twist with highlighter ink and black lights. I remember the installation at both the Feature Gallery at Studio 2880 and the window in a local art store (now closed due to mismanagement and overall asshattery) and how the black lights created entirely different works of art.
This is the latest Arts North podcast.
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This was an earlier video interview done in the Shaw studios.
It's All About The Art.
The one with the Copper extensions is called Manidoo Miikan - or Spirit Road, path or way. In the Anishinaabe beliefs, our spirits travel into the West for four days, camping the fourth day waiting for the Sunset to pass into Nanaboozhoo Miikan.
Manidoo Miikan or Spirit Way shows the Keeper of the Western Door. Helmet, shroud in the wind extending into two Eagle feathers (151 and 152 out of 1000)
Flip it upside down, then you see the campsite, where the Spirits gather before they walk into the setting sun.
When they pass through the doorway, they return to Creator and Creation along another road or way - Nanaboozhoo Miikan - Nanaboozhoo is a legendary hero among the Anishinaabek, and this is the path to where he resides. It is also referred to as the Milky Way.
That leads us to the last piece, Nanaboozhoo Miikan or simply Starry Night in Fort St James. The village is lit up with Christmas lights, the night is cold and clear, and you see the symmetrical reflection of the mountains in the lake, and the ice floes drifting on a light breeze.
Then there is the Eagle Feather. I think this is a story about a friend who was a great human who died recently. One single eagle feather (#153/1000) and all around him you see the people standing with their hand up, cheering, supporting...he has earned that feather.
One Anishinaabe teaching about the Feather is around how we should walk in life. The spine of the feather is our path, and sometimes we wander to the edge. Sometimes people go over, and so their path remains unfinished, but most of us find our way back to the center and continue on that straight and narrow path.
I just come to realize that these three so far are related. The Eagle Feather is our path in life, then the Spirit Way leads us to the Western Doorway, and to the path of Nanaboozhoo.
Then there’s the Dragonfly. He has two stories, one that can be published, one that probably can’t - you let me know your opinion on the second story.
The Dragonfly wings look fragile, yet they have the strength to lift and maneuver quickly in their environment. So this is about balance- strength, and fragility. But the Dragonfly also reminds us to be gentle. To Walk Gently - one of the Two Original Instructions we were given when Creator first placed humans on the Earth. Walk Gently. The Dragonfly is landing on a flower, and all around is the dander and pollen drifting on the wind.
The second story...ok. A woman is laying on her back. Her legs are spread and her knees are drawn up to her sides and she is reaching down to touch herself. The Dragonfly eyes are her fingers. From this perspective, the name of this piece is not Dragonfly, but “At night, I touch myself”
I love the irreverence of this artist