From The Indigenous Curatorial Collective: Let Wanda Speak
“We are writing today to express our grave concern regarding the dismissal of Wanda Nanibush from her position of Curator of Indigenous and Canadian Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario, and regarding the ways in which her departure has been sorely mishandled.”
Statement of Concern from Members of the International Indigenous Arts Community to Institutions Worldwide
“Canada’s public art institutions have reversed course on their much lauded, highly publicized and commodified commitments towards decolonization and Indigenization.”
Open Letter to the Art Gallery of Ontario
“We, the undersigned artists, writers, curators, and cultural workers, write to express outrage at the recent push out of Wanda Nanibush from her position as the inaugural curator of Indigenous Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario.”
Over 3,500 signatories as of December 28th, 2023
Letter to the AGO Board of Directors
“We the undersigned cultural workers, scholars, and concerned Ontario residents write to convey to the Board our indignation over the sudden departure of Wanda Nanibush as curator of Indigenous Art and co-lead of the J.S. McLean Centre for Indigenous & Canadian Art at the Art Gallery of Ontario.”
Andrea Fatona, Richard Fung, Luis Jacob, Deb Cowen, and others
44 Governor General Award Winners Protest Forced Departure of Wanda Nanibush from AGO
In an open letter released 28 November, 44 recipients of Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts condemn the forced departure of Curator Indigenous Art Wanda Nanibush from the Art Gallery of Ontario last week.
After noting her outstanding accomplishments, they call her exit “shocking.” Their letter states: “The forced departure of Wanda Nanibush is an act of political censorship with shades of a new McCarthyism.”
Co-signators are drawn from coast-to-coast, and include such celebrated artists as Ruth Cuthand, Paul Wong, Jamelie Hassan, Vera Frenkel, Robert Houle, Louise Déry, Jayce Salloum, Cheryl L’Hirondelle, Deanna Bowen, Carole Condé and Karl Beveridge.