Ken Jeannotte, Rise, 2000

This work explores issues revolving around ideas and myths of The Land, through the juxtaposition of photographic images and text. Originally an investigation of colonization, displacement, and transition, (Arrogation)…evolved into an exploration of land use and ownership within the context of the artist’s personal history. After visiting the birthplace of his forebears (in the environs of the Poundmaker reserve in Saskatchewan), the artist developed a body of photographs based on several key sites. Through the addition of narrative stories, Jeannotte considers the transitory relationships of people to place and the critical role narrative plays in the construction of myths and official histories.