Âhasiw Maskêgon-Iskwêw facts for kids

Âhasiw Maskêgon-Iskwêw (born in 1958, passed away in 2006) was a talented Cree and French Métis artist, thinker, and curator. He was very important in the world of modern Indigenous arts. He also helped bring digital media to Indigenous communities. Experts like Steven Loft and Kerry Swanson called him a top thinker in "Aboriginal new media art." His work is kept safe at the Grunt Gallery.

His Early Life and Learning

Âhasiw Maskêgon-Iskwêw, also known as Donald Ghostkeeper, was born in 1958. His birthplace was McLennan, Alberta. He studied art at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver. He graduated from there in 1985. He also took classes at Simon Fraser University and Vancouver Community College.

His Amazing Artworks

Maskêgon-Iskwêw created many different kinds of art. He made art for the internet and also performance art pieces that used video.

Key Art Projects

Some of his important artworks include:

• Mestih'kusowin (Holocaust) shown at Pitt Gallery, Vancouver (1990).
• Sakehi'towin Onipowak at Western Front Gallery, Vancouver (1992).
• Hunter at Pitt Gallery, Vancouver (1993).

In 1996, he led a big project called isi-pîkiskwêwin-ayapihkêsîsak (Speaking the Language of Spiders). He worked with ten other artists to create this online artwork. It was shown in Paris and at the Walter Phillips Gallery.

Exhibitions and Shows

Maskêgon-Iskwêw's art was part of many group shows. These included Exposed: The Aesthetics of Aboriginal Art in 1999. His work was also seen in the CyberPowWow online art network. Another show was Language of Intercession at the Art Gallery of Hamilton in 2003.

Helping Other Artists and Art Organizations

Maskêgon-Iskwêw was also a curator, meaning he helped organize art shows. He held many important jobs across Canada.

Leadership Roles

He was a director at the Pitt Gallery in Vancouver (1988-1990). He also worked at the Native Education Centre (1990-1991). From 1992 to 1994, he worked for the Canada Council for the Arts Art Bank. During this time, he spent time at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College. He also worked with the Aboriginal Film and Video Art Alliance at the Banff Centre for the Arts.

Online Art and Community Work

From 1994 to 2005, Maskêgon-Iskwêw managed an online network called Drumbeats to Drumbytes. This network was for Aboriginal media arts. In 1994, he became a program coordinator and editor for Talking Stick First Nations Arts Magazine.

In 1995, he helped organize an exhibition called nanâtawihitowin-âcimowina (Healing Stories). This show featured three performances by First Peoples. From 1996 to 1997, he was a Production Manager for a digital media studio.

Maskêgon-Iskwêw also helped create media art projects in communities. He worked with groups like youth at risk in Regina. He also pushed for more support for artists working with communities. He was a key person in developing online resources for Indigenous communities.

Later Curatorial Work

In 2002, Maskêgon-Iskwêw curated Signified: Ritual Language in First Nations Performance Art. He worked with Reona Brass and Bently Spang on this project. He also helped at the Connecting Aboriginal Canadians Forum in Ottawa in 2003 and 2004.

In 2005, he became the New Media Curator at Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art Gallery. Here, he created an online platform called Storm Spirits. He also launched the Conundrum Online Aboriginal Arts Magazine. In 2006, he helped start Aboriginal Curatorial Collective / Collectif des Conservateurs autochtones (ACC/CCA). He helped set up their organization and website.

His Writings

Maskêgon-Iskwêw was also a writer. His articles appeared in magazines like Talking Stick First Nations Arts Magazine and Fuse Magazine. His writings were also included in several books. These books include Caught in the Act (2004) and Transference, Tradition, Technology (2005).