Gallery 44 acknowledges that it is situated on stolen land. We work and create on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe, the Wendat and the Mississaugas of the Credit. This land is home to many First Nations, Inuit and Métis and is protected by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement—a treaty that extends to Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations and invites us to share the land peacefully through mutual cooperation. Gallery 44 is inspired by the spirit of this agreement and through our work, seeks to share space and build equitable and reciprocal relationships across communities.
Acknowledging the original custodians of the land is a pivotal first step toward reconciliation; however, acknowledgements should also facilitate responsible actions. More needs to be done by settlers, by our government and by us as arts practitioners to be positive stewards, and to educate ourselves and others on the enduring legacies of colonial violence.
We acknowledge that photography has close ties to colonialism: photography was used as a tool of European imperialism and many image-making and circulation practices today continue to perpetuate the harms of capital, racism and violence.[1] As our modes of working shift toward digital space, we recognize that technology infrastructure is also built on the settler-oriented logic of resource extraction and land exploitation. Gallery 44 commits to using our platform as a vehicle to uphold dissenting histories—amplifying underrecognized practices that have complicated eurocentric narratives for generations. We wish to engage the medium towards new futures that move photography beyond its colonial roots in transgressive and boundary-pushing ways.
We do this by initiating exhibition and education programs driven by artists with culturally-specific knowledge who bring practices of care to challenging topics.
Current and recent examples include:
At this moment of severe climate crisis, it is important to acknowledge that Indigenous communities continue to live under inequitable conditions, impacting all aspects of life, from access to housing, healthcare and safe water to equipment and infrastructure. We recognize that Indigenous epistemologies are critical for learning to care for the environment and mitigate the worst effects of climate change. Gallery 44, as an organization, chooses to take responsibility for climate action and encourages climate consciousness amongst our community.
Operational decisions at Gallery 44 that reflect this commitment include:
- Continued tenancy at 401 Richmond, an adaptive reuse building that incorporates sustainable building efforts and a commitment to environmentally sound practices in restoration, operation and maintenance, run by a certified B Corp property group.
- Conscious decision-making to lower waste in exhibition production by participating in community-driven activities like the Artist Material Fund, resource sharing within the building and Toronto arts community, and reducing quantity of printed matter.
- Continued operation of production facilities as a co-work space, reusing second-hand materials and equipment and facilitating similar exchanges amongst our membership.
- Purchasing from local retailers and promoting education around alternative, non-toxic darkroom materials and practices.
Finally, we are committed to reviewing this Land Acknowledgement and associated initiatives on an ongoing basis and will use the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as an annual prompt to do so.
On the occasion of our first annual review of this acknowledgement, we recognize that the housing crisis has only become more urgent, but also, that this is an ongoing, generational issue for both urban and rural Indigenous communities.
Given this context, Gallery 44's Access and Inclusive Action Committee developed the following prompts for Board, staff and committees to consider our geographic position in downtown Toronto where land is at a premium and people can’t afford to live and work. What does it mean to take up space here?
DISCUSSION PROMPTS:
- Alongside this lack of access to housing and work space, how can we act with solidarity, what services can we provide?
- How does our presence within the community facilitate artistic practice, offer accessibility?
- If we feel we are already doing this work: is it working, can we improve it, who are we serving, who can we serve better?
- What would dream solutions be, if we had no barriers or limits?
Updated: September 23, 2023
