The exhibition 'Beading Métis Resurgence' at the University of Winnipeg's Gallery 1C03 showcases the work of renowned Métis artist Jennine Krauchi alongside four emerging Red River Métis beadworkers she has mentored. Curated by gallery director Jennifer Gibson and history professor Cathy Mattes, the show features Krauchi's centerpiece work 'The Lady'—a beaded coat, muff, hat, and boots—and explores beadwork as contemporary art, cultural knowledge, and intergenerational practice. The exhibition runs until July 10 and includes a table and chairs evoking the kitchen-table lessons where Krauchi passed down her skills.
This exhibition matters because it marks a historic moment for Métis beadwork, which Krauchi never expected to see represented in an art gallery as a recognized art form. Métis floral beadwork, developed in the 19th century around Red River, became a distinct visual identity for Métis people, who were known as the 'Flower Beadwork People.' By tracing the revival of this tradition through mentorship and contemporary concerns like gender, family history, and artificial intelligence, the show affirms the resilience and evolution of Indigenous cultural practices within the institutional art world.