Anne Riley facts for kids

Anne Riley is an amazing artist who creates different kinds of art. She has roots in both the Slavey Dene people (from the Fort Nelson First Nation) and German heritage. Anne was born in Dallas, Texas, in the U.S. Today, she lives and works in Vancouver, Canada.

Many of Anne's artworks explore her identity as Indigiqueer. This is a special term first used by Cree artist TJ Cuthand. It's now used by many Indigenous artists, including Oji-Cree storyteller Joshua Whitehead. The term "Indigiqueer" is connected to Two-spirit, which is an important identity and role in many Indigenous nations. Through her art, Anne Riley uses Indigenous ways of learning. She focuses on learning through doing, helping communities grow, and caring for nature. Anne earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 2012. She also received the City of Vancouver Studio Award from 2018 to 2021.

Exploring Anne Riley's Art Projects

Anne Riley has worked on many interesting art projects. Her art often brings together different ideas and people.

Art and Dark Matter: Drift

From 2021 to 2022, Anne Riley worked with other artists like Nadia Lichtig and scientists. They collaborated on an exhibition called Drift: Art and Dark Matter. This project was like an art residency and an exhibition all in one. It was shown at places like the Agnes Etherington Art Centre and the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery. It explored how art and science can connect.

Healing the Land: A Constellation of Remediation

Between 2017 and 2019, Anne Riley teamed up with artist T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss. They created a public art project for the City of Vancouver. It was called A Constellation of Remediation. For this project, they planted special Indigenous gardens. These gardens were placed on empty lots where gas stations used to be. The goal was to help clean and heal the soil, connecting with Indigenous ways of caring for the land.

Art from Performance: Every Little Bit Hurts

In 2015, Anne Riley had an exhibition called Every Little Bit Hurts in Vancouver. Here, she created an art piece called that brings the other nearly as close as oneself. This artwork included a sculpture made from 62 plaster molds of her hands. The hands were shown holding each other. There were also two blue drawings on the gallery wall. These drawings were part of a performance Anne did, which was also shown as a video at the exhibition.

Art and Silence: Time_Place_Space: Nomad

Also in 2015, Anne Riley joined an art program in Melbourne, Australia. It was called Time_Place_Space: Nomad. During this time, Anne started to explore performance art. She looked at how silence can be a way to show strength and endurance.

Exhibitions of Anne Riley's Work

Anne Riley's art often explores important themes. These include the experiences of Indigenous peoples, healing land and people, and the meaning of two-spirit identities. Her work helps people think about cultural identity and recovery from difficult experiences.

Here are some places where her art has been shown:

• 2021: Drift: Art and Dark Matter at Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia.
• 2020: Her words are Not Vanishing as she leaves her howl inside us at ArtSpeak, Vancouver, British Columbia.
• 2019: Spill at Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia. As part of this show, Anne and T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss led a workshop. They showed how their A Constellation of Remediation project worked at the UBC farm.
• 2019: This Land is Lonely for Us at Satellite Gallery, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Banff, Alberta.
• 2018: If the river ran upwards at Walter Phillips Gallery, Banff, Alberta.
• 2017: Pōuliuli, West Space, Melbourne, Australia.
• 2015: Every Little Bit Hurts at Western Front, Vancouver, British Columbia.
• 2014: 600 Campbell at Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia.
• 2012: Head Curator for the show, Now What It Never Was at the Visual Arts Center at The University of Texas at Austin.

Anne Riley's Published Writings

Anne Riley has also shared her thoughts and ideas through writing.

• Anne Riley, líndline (Where Rivers Meet), in “ALMANAC” edited by Maggie Groat. This was published by Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery.
• Anne Riley, Įladzeeé: Pulse in the Wrist: Indigeneity and the Work of Emotional Labour, 2016, in MICE Magazine.
• Anne Riley, Canada Council For the Arts Spotlight Post, Time_Place_Space : Nomad; Silence as Resilience, 2016.

Awards and Support for Anne Riley's Art

Anne Riley has received several awards and grants that support her artistic work.

• 2018–2021: City of Vancouver Studio Award Recipient.
• 2017: British Columbia Arts Council Grant for Professional Development. This supported her advanced mentorship with artist Laiwan.
• 2016: Canada Council for the Arts International Artist Residency Grant. This allowed her to work in NYC and at the Alma De Mujer Center for Social Change in Austin, TX.
• 2015: Canada Council for the Arts Inter-Arts Residency Grant. This supported her time at the TPS: Nomad Residency in Melbourne, Australia.
• 2014: British Columbia Arts Council Grant for Professional Development. This supported her mentorship with artist Laiwan.