A reception at Art Windsor-Essex tonight — Thursday, March 21 — will celebrate the opening of an exhibition of photographs and postcards showcasing the rich diversity of Indigeneity in the city.

The Waawiiatanong Forever project invited women and two-spirit folks to present themselves as they wanted to be represented alongside street signs that bear their nation’s name.

The project involved several members of the UWindsor community:

• Shayenna Nolan (BSc 2021), a PhD student in integrative biology, took the photos;
• alumna Julie Rae Tucker (MFA 2006) was one of the curators; and
• staff members Michelle Nahdee, Kat Pasquach, and Marcie Demmans provided organizational support.

“Waawiiatanong Forever weaves the threads of history, culture, and personal identity,” Tucker says. “Listen to the voices, stories, and get to know the Indigenous presence on this land forever celebrated.”

The exhibition continues at the gallery through Sept. 22.

Tonight’s AWE at Night reception promises art activities, community conversations, and guided tours through Art Windsor-Essex and the Chimczuk Museum.

At 6 p.m., join artist Ostoro Petahtegoose (BA 2023) in the Education Studio to create your very own postcard inspired by the Waawiiatanong Forever exhibition.

At 6:30 p.m. in the third-floor galleries, the Centre for Cities and Transnational Arts & Entertainment Law Clinic will lead a community conversation on “Envisioning Windsor’s National Urban Park,” with speakers delving into the intricacies of the planning process, its environmental impact, and what it means for the future.

At 7 p.m. in the second-floor galleries, Nolan and Tucker will join co-curators Shane Lyon and Jace Pillon for a discussion of Waawiiatanong Forever.

And at 7:30 p.m., Abel González Fernández, associate curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, will discuss the work and legacy of Charles McGee, whose 1965 painting Tunnel to Detroit is featured in the exhibition The Once and Future City co-curated by law professors Shanthi Senthe and Anneke Smit with Emily McKibbon.

The gallery is located at 401 Riverside Dr. West. Admission to the events is free for members of Art Windsor-Essex or the Chimczuk Museum and $13.25 for the general public.