The importance of slow work: q̓emxwéqsem exhibit opens in Vancouver

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Q̓emxwéqsem, a collection of work focused on hand-stitching, is exhibiting until Sept. 26 at the Craft Council of BC’s gallery on Granville Island in Vancouver.

Q̓emxwéqsem translates to “to tie a knot at the end of your thread” in Secwepemctsín and is spoken by the Secwépemc First Nation. It is meant to convey the way artist Serena Steel’s pieces start, with the simple act of tying a knot at the end of a string.

The exhibit features Steel’s beaded, woven, stitched, and print work. Half of the pieces are available for interested buyers.

Steel primarily works with beads and natural mediums. Much of her professional practice includes the production of handmade and beaded jewellery, which she sells. She also works at The Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver.

An Emily Carr University of Art and Design fine arts graduate, Steel has displayed her work at exhibitions before, however q̓emxwéqsem is her first official solo show. A lot of what she’s learned has also come from her Secwépemc community and her mother, she says.

The exhibit is a homage to slow, thoughtful work, and how important it is in today’s rapid-paced society. 

“A lot of my pieces are a practice of me doing that, of slowing down and being present, and working as a way to also honour the people who have come before me,” Steel says.

The work explores the themes of land, nature, and togetherness, much of which is inspired by moments, people, and places in Steel’s life.

The art “Good Morning (from my mom’s front steps),” recalls a time when a bear was outside her door as a teenager, close enough that it would have come inside had she not looked outside before opening. “Text Me When You Get Home,” is reminiscent of a phrase Steel has heard and said, but also an expression of love and care.

Many pieces were also the result of artistic experimentation. One work, “Gone Fishing,” went through many iterations as a necklace and earrings, before ultimately becoming a beaded and stitched mounted piece. Fishing is also an acknowledgement of the importance fishing held to her and her grandfather’s time spent together.

Her favourite piece is the one that took the longest. It acts almost as the centrepiece of the exhibit, Steel says. The work consists of the beaded words “Who Do You Belong To?” which reflects upon the people and lands one comes from. It also includes depictions of her mother, grandmother, and grandfather who Steel says were all key figures in her life.

“It really anchors down so many of my core values and beliefs …. It was my first big artwork that I made with beadwork, and it really expanded beadwork as being more than just a jewelry making practice,” Steel says.

Berries, like strawberries, and daisies can also often be seen in her work. Steel says strawberries in particular were the first wild berry she learned to identify and pick. She also has fond memories of a friend berry picking and carefully cradling some to bring to her — a thoughtful moment which inspired Steel’s “I Picked These For You” piece.  

Q̓emxwéqsem is the first exhibit of the Craft Council of BC’s Indigenous emerging artists program, which began this year. Curatorial assistant Charlene Wichaidit says the Craft Council of BC aims to advocate and empower craft artists, a sector of art that is often overlooked.  

“Most people see craft as a vase to put my flowers in or a plate to eat dinner off of, but they don’t see it as a contemporary art,” Wichaidit says.

From early August to late September each year, a space will be reserved for emerging Indigenous artists.  

“Craft itself, especially in the context of British Columbia, really owes itself to Indigenous communities,” she says. 

“The initiative is to highlight Indigenous voices, perspectives, and craft, and additionally, for  emerging artists, to allow them a space to exhibit and show off their work.” 

Steel is planning to host a two-hour beading workshop on Sept. 13 and 27 at the Craft Council of BC’s gallery, in which up to eight participants can create their own flat-stitch project. For more information about the exhibit and workshop, visit bitly.cx/h6rH.