Orange Shirt Day Conversation with Xwalacktun, Sven Christian and Usha Seejarim
Griffin Art Projects is pleased to host a discussion with Xwalacktun, Sven Christian, Director of NIROX, and Usha Seejarim, co-curator of the Future Worldings exhibition, in recognition of Orange Shirt Day.
Listening to feedback from past Indigenous presenters, we have pre-recorded this talk to lessen the emotional labour leading up to and during Orange Shirt Day.
Monday, September 30 · 1PM - 1:45PM PDT
Orange Shirt Day is observed annually on September 30 in Canada to honor the survivors of residential schools and to promote awareness about the ongoing impacts of these institutions on Indigenous communities. The day was inspired by the story of Phyllis Webstad, whose new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at a residential school in 1973. This experience symbolizes the broader loss of culture, identity, and family experienced by Indigenous children. Since its establishment in 2013, Orange Shirt Day has grown into a national movement, encouraging Canadians to engage in discussions about the history of residential schools and the importance of reconciliation.
This discussion is part of the larger Future Worldings exchange program, an international collaboration between Canadian and South African artists. The program is co-curated by Usha Seejarim, Lisa Baldissera, and Karen Tam.
Common to South Africa and Canada are histories of colonial occupation, separatist policies that purposefully isolated and even eradicated Indigenous people, institutional racism and ongoing marginalization.
Xwalacktun’s recent exchange at the NIROX residency in South Africa marked a significant moment of cross-cultural dialogue. During his time there, he created three artworks and engaged deeply with local artists and curators. This exchange, part of the Future Worldings project, embodies the exhibition’s goal of fostering international artistic collaboration and addressing global issues through Indigenous and contemporary art practices.
