Sault museum resident artist opens new exhibit

The newest attraction to the Sault Ste. Marie Museum explores Anishinaabe history of the area, blending with the personal identity of resident artist Ray Fox.

Fox's Baawitigong (meaning "at the rapids") exhibit was unveiled to the public Saturday.

“I’m hoping that people will look at the work and see that there is history here in Sault Ste. Marie,” said Fox.

“Especially at the museum, that we have these artifacts and stories that live here and I wanted to incorporate that into my exhibition.”

The collection features paintings and drawings made with locally sourced charcoal as well as artifacts from the area already in the museum's possession, like pottery shards found on Whitefish Island and Gros Cap.

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Fox told CTV News the most eye-catching, and largest of his work, is a depiction of the creation story of the area, ‘Nanabush and the Giant Beaver.’

“He caught this giant beaver and he destroyed his own dam to get away. In destroying his dam, the debris that happened created the rapids, and Whitefish Island, Sugar Island, St. Joe’s Island, up to Manitoulin,” said Fox.

Fox has served as the museum's ‘Artist in Residence’ since last April, with this work being the culmination of his time in the role.

It comes as a result of the Ontario Arts Council's Artists and Presenters Grant.

Museum Curator William Hollingshead said the move to bring in an ‘Artist in Residence’ brings relevancy to a space that is looking to attract new visitors.

“We have thousands and thousands of artifacts, archival photos, records. So all that stuff sits here,” said Hollingshead.

“We’re trying with the residency program to engage those collections to have people respond to things that resonate with them within the collections or that are significant in some way to artistic creations.”

The opening night for Fox's work saw dozens filing through the museum.

It was a proud sight, said Fox’s sister Lynda Trudeau.

“We get to benefit from (his talent) pretty often, so it’s nice to see other people and building upon that base of people appreciating his work,” The Trudeau.

The exhibit it is available for public viewing until the end of February.