We Are All Canadian Now
Tamara Sponder
September 8 - October 4, 2007

Installation View, 2007

My work is informed by what I perceive as a lack of a unified understanding of contemporary Canadian culture, as represented in literature, music and the visual arts. Unlike many other cultures, Canadians bemoan the lack of experience when it comes to protesting political events, suffering through a good vs. evil war, dynasties of tradition, and ethnic pride. Canadians lack a unifying culture and therefore a consistent Canadian identity. The fallout from the colonization era has alienated Canadians from their own heritage and culture, and this is the starting point for my artwork.

My current work aims to define personal tradition within the context of Canadian history and in so doing, open up a forum for connection and sharing with my peers. The exhibition will touch on concepts of appropriation, and how this highly contested term, is undergoing some change. In Canada, the diversity of personal histories and traditions results in a consumerization of cultural practices and lucrative industry: i.e. Yoga and Zen Buddhism. Whereas in the past the appropriation of such practices has resulted in tension between cultures and a loss of authenticity, our current global relationships sees a newfound respect for hybrid cultural practices that seek to improve our personal identities. Our Canadian history - a tradition of colonization and negative appropriation paired with the adoption of global influences - defines our culture today: We Are All Canadian Now.

Tamara Sponder is a starting her third year in Fine Art at Queen’s University.