Amalie Atkins: Hold the Star

Her installation utilizes rushnyky from our permanent collection, integrating light and sound to create a unique experience. The title of her exhibition draws inspiration from an 8-pointed star observed on a pink pysanka in our collection, as well as a photograph of a theatrical production written by her grandmother, also named Amalie, when her grandmother was young. This theme of preservation and nurturing is woven through the installation.

Atkins’ work for the Ukrainian Museum of Canada involves a collaboration with musician Castle If (Jess Forrest), who created a score directly linked to the textiles. Castle If writes music as translated through her music-colour synesthesia and has invented an innovative system of musical notation using different colours and shapes to represent sounds as she understands them.

Artist Bio:
Amalie Atkins is a Saskatoon-based multidisciplinary artist noted for her films and video installations — she creates cinematic fables through a blend of 16 mm films, performances, textiles, installations, and analogue photography, merging traditional elements with a do-it-yourself, hands-on aesthetic. Atkins has exhibited nationally including Remai Modern, Art Gallery of Ontario, Central Art Garage, Gallery 44, The Ottawa Art Gallery, Eastern Edge, Struts Gallery, La Centrale, FADO, and the Biennale nationale de sculpture contemporaine.  Her work has shown internationally at Moving Image, NYC; 12:14 Contemporary, Vienna; USC Art Gallery Queensland; The Academy Gallery, Tasmania; Gerald Moore Gallery, UK; and Kunsthaus Tacheles, Berlin. Atkins work is held in private and institutional collections such as: Remai Modern, SK Arts, MacKenzie Art Gallery, and Global Affairs Canada Visual Arts Collection with works placed in Kyiv, Paris, Reykjavík, and Washington. / www.amalieatkins.ca

Introducing the Museum’s Artist-in-Residence Program! 

We are thrilled to announce the launch of an Artist-in-Residence Program at the Ukrainian Museum of Canada. Rooted in the belief that art is a powerful catalyst for learning and innovation, this program is dedicated to fostering dynamic conversations between contemporary artists of diverse backgrounds and the rich cultural heritage preserved within our permanent collection.

Guided by the principles of collaboration, exploration, and inclusivity, the Artist-in-Residence Program invites artists to draw inspiration from our collection, which boasts over 10,000 artifacts and serves as a treasure trove of Ukrainian and Ukrainian Canadian cultural history. From textiles to ceramics, pysanky, fine and folk art, our diverse range of cultural objects provides artists with a rich palette for creating new, inspiring, and sometimes provocative works.

Our residencies are designed for local and regional artists, who can work around their existing schedules. Our goal is to create a program that reflects and contributes to the artistic vitality of our immediate community, fostering connections between the Museum and the vibrant artistic ecosystem in our region.

Through the Artist-in-Residence Program, we aspire to bridge the gap between tradition and contemporary expression, honoring the past while embracing the present and future. This initiative envisions a space where artists can push the boundaries of their creativity, experiment with new ideas, and contribute to the evolving narrative of the Ukrainian Museum of Canada.