Hannah Claus

Hannah Claus (born February 7, 1969) is a multidisciplinary visual artist of English and Kanien'kehÁ:ka/Mohawk ancestries and is a member of the Tyendinaga Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte.[1]

Hannah Claus
Born (1969-02-07) February 7, 1969
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
NationalityCanadian/Mohawk
EducationB.F.A, Ontario College of Art and Design M.F.A., Concordia University
Known forInstallation, visual art
Board member ofAboriginal Curatorial Collective (Vice-President) Montreal Arts Council (Member)
Children2
AwardsEiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship
Websitewww.hannahclaus.net

Claus' installations produce sensory environments that highlight time, place, and elements and her artwork explores the complexities of themes such as community, identity, modernization, and relationships.[2]

Biography

Hannah Claus was born on February 7, 1969 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada and spent her childhood in Saint John, New Brunswick. Her grandmother is of Mohawk descent and Claus was raised to think and identify herself as both Mohawk and European.[3][4] In 2001, Claus moved to Montreal, Quebec with her two children.[5][6]

She is the Vice-President of the Aboriginal Curatorial Collective Board, which is an indigenous run and led non-profit organization that supports and connects artists, curators, and writers together.[7] Claus also spends her time as the Chair of the Organizing Committee for the Montreal Arts Council. Claus has taught contemporary Indigenous art at Concordia University and is a sessional lecturer at the Kiuna Institute.[8][9]

Education

Hannah Claus obtained her Associate's degree from the Ontario College of Art and Design with Honors in Toronto, Canada 1997. During a presentation for her "trade-treaty-territory" exhibition, Claus stated she studied both drawing and painting as well as sculpture. She has expressed her rejection of how art school only emphasizes concepts and ideas, not so much beauty. Still desiring the "aesthetic appeal of painting," she chose installation art as her practice instead.[10] Claus went on to pursue her Masters of Fine Arts in Studio Arts at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2004.

Artworks
"Trade is ceremony" (2019)

"Trade is ceremony" was displayed as part of Claus' "trade-treaty-territory" exhibition at the Dunlop Art Gallery in Regina, Saskatchewan. The art piece is composed of copper ball headpins and wool blanket.

Her inspiration is drawn from the illegible hand writing from the North West Company's registers and provides a view into the Indigenous world perspective during the early fur trade in the 1500s. Even as a French and English speaking woman, it was difficult for her to decipher the words and phrases denoted on each register. She emphasizes how arduous the task of trading must have been for her ancestors.[11] Each art piece of the "trade-treaty-territory" exhibition highlights an element of the earth, and she depicts the element of fire by placing the copper lines in a "central fire-like form" radiating outward. Claus interacts with light, shadows, and "piece together an atemporal space critical of Western ideologies and systems."[12] The artwork itself stands as a symbol of peace between the Indigenous nations and the French. Claus asks the viewers to "enact relations, exchange words and knowledge, and share resources, the foundations for peaceful coexistence."[13]

"Words that are lasting" (2018)

In 2018, Hannah Claus was chosen as the creator of the Indigenous art installation contest at Queen's University Law building in Kingston, Ontario. The materials comprised in this artwork are translucent and frosted acrylic sheets, and this installation is the first time she has ever physically represented the wampum belt.[14] Authentic wampum belts are created from tubular beads found from Atlantic coast seashells. The beaded belts were used primarily by the Indigenous peoples of the Eastern Woodlands "for ornamental, ceremonial, diplomatic, and commercial purposes."[15] Her belts hang suspended from the ceiling of the MacDonald Hall atrium. Six of the belts are Haudenosaunee Confederacy belts: Everlasting Tree, Dish and One Spoon, Ojibwa Friendship, Old Fort, Council Fire and Kahswentha or Two Row. Claus invented the seventh belt to honor the Kanyenkehá:ka, the Algonquin, and the Mississauga nations, and these nations inhabit the area of which the University stands. Claus illuminates the symbol of peace, coexistence, and agreement through this installation. Her artwork is meant to be reflected to the University law students, faculty, and staff as a reminder of history and to value these "living" treaties.[16]

"Water song" (2014)

"Water song" is a suspended installation piece apart of the group exhibition "Inaabiwin" in the Ottawa Art Gallery, Ontario. In Anishnaabemowin, inaabiwin means “movement of light," and Claus captures this through her thin acetate discs moving slowly to reflect the light. This artwork is an installation, meaning the art dominates the space it resides in. "Water song" is composed of digital print on acetate, thread, PVA glue, and plexiglass. Suspended from the ceiling hang threads holding the thin acetate discs that contain images of rivers, branches, and other pictures of nature on them.[17] Her inspiration is drawn from the relationships with the rivers that flow through the Miami Tribe, the Gesgapegia’jg, Getnig, Tlapataqanji’jg, and Sipug. The installation's shape is meant to mimic the sound waves of a traditional Mi'kmaq water song, that "gives thanks for the rivers and oceans." This traditional song was gifted to Claus by Tracey Metallic, Glenda Wysote-LaBillois and Victoria Labillois of Listuguj, all Pugwalesg singers.[18] Claus also pays homage to the Haudenosaunee's wampum belt; she stresses the continuity and unification of rivers, similar to the coexistence principles and symbols of the wampum belt.[19]

"Cloudscape" (2012)

"Cloudscape" is a suspended installation and solo exhibit at the Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, Ontario. The installation is created from reprographic film, thread, and PVA glue, and the process of the installation required three-dimensional programming. Claus' work reflects the Haudenosaunee creation story with the Sky-Woman. The Sky-Woman was a pregnant and celestial woman who fell from the Sky People, Karionake. She is responsible for the creation of human life on earth. The suspended white discs hang in cloud-like form, and are meant to mimic what the Sky-Woman's home must have looked like before she descended down to earth.[20] The artist's "clouds" dominate the exhibit and enable the viewer to participate with the artwork by being surrounded and "destabilized" by it. The cloud-like forms stand to evoke community and creativity, and each individual white disc blend together to erect multiple massive clouds. Critic Justin Santelli from the Queen's University Journal claims Claus' work as an "incredibly unique piece, and it deserves your attention."[21]

Exhibitions

Solo exhibitions:

  • "Trade-treaty-territory," Dunlop Sherwood Gallery Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Jan 17-Mar 13 2020 [22]
  • "There's a reason for our connection," McCord Museum, Montreal, Quebec Mar 7-Aug 2019 [23]
  • "Spatial codifications" YYZ Toronto, Ontario Sept. 28-Nov. 30, 2019[24]
  • "Earth. sea. sky. constellations for my relations" MAI (Montreal Arts Interculturels) Feb.15-Mar.17, 2018
  • "Hochelaga rock" McGill Campus Montreal, Quebec Oct. 21-Nov 19, 2017[25]
  • "Akikpautik/kanatso" L’Imagier Art Centre, Gatineau, Quebec 2016[26]
  • "Our minds are one" National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa Sept 20, 2014-Jan 4, 2015[27]
  • "Cloudscape" Modern Fuel ARC, Ontario, Canada Jan 11, 2014-Feb 22, 2014[28]
  • "Question de temps" Place Ville Marie, Montreal, Quebec 2013[29]

Group exhibitions:

Collections

Hannah Claus' work is included in:

Honors and awards

In 2019, Hannah Claus was selected for the Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship. Claus and five other artists were chosen to receive a $25,000 award[42] and produce a permanent collection for the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art.[43] Claus was also selected for the Queen's University Law building art contest in Kingston, Ontario where she created the piece "Words that are lasting" in 2018.

Publications
  • Rethinking Professionalism: Women and Art in Canada (1850) is a book by Kristina Huneault and Janice Anderson that features Hannah Claus. This in-depth study examines the changes "to the infrastructure of the art world" that has resulted in the "powerful discourse of professionalization" that erected in the 19th century.[44] This book focuses on the history of women and art in Canada and celebrates the progress of female artists.[45]
  • Inaabiwin (2018) is a catalog for the Inaabiwin exhibition at the Ottawa Art Gallery. This catalog stands as an introduction to the exhibition, and delves into the artists' interactions with colonization and navigation with Indigenous relationships with nature. Hannah Claus, Meryl McMaster, Greg Staats, Tanya Lukin Linklater, Scott Benesiinaabandan are the featured artists and "reclaim ways of being and knowing" after post-contact.[46]
  • Reading the talk: Michael Belmore, Hannah Claus, Patricia Deadman, Keesic Douglas, Vanessa Dion Fletcher, Melissa General (2014) is a catalog explores the artworks from the "trade-treaty-territory" exhibition and how the art pieces in this exhibition explore distinct indigenous perspectives on the history of treaties" in Canada. Artists denote their interpersonal relationships, understandings of one another, as well as fundamental "Indigenous ontology."[47]
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See also

References
  1. "Artist's Talk: Hannah Claus". artsandscience.usask.ca. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  2. "Hannah Claus". Eiteljorg Museum. 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  3. Rethinking professionalism : women and art in Canada, 1850-1970. Huneault, Kristina,, Anderson, Janice, 1951-, Canadian Electronic Library. Montréal [Que.]: McGill-Queen's University Press. 2012. ISBN 978-0-7735-8683-3. OCLC 812837107.CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. sofia (2015-04-25). "Hannah Claus (b.1969)". contemporary arts americas tbc... Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  5. Hannah Claus. Claus, Hannah., Sutherland, Erin., Johnson, Naomi., Artspace (Peterborough, Ont.). Peterborough, ON. ISBN 978-0-9682289-4-4. OCLC 1030341545.CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. "Hannah Claus". Art History & Communication Studies. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  7. "Aboriginal Curatorial Collective / Collectif des commissaires autochtones – Supporting and Connecting Indigenous Curators". Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  8. "Hannah Claus". Art History & Communication Studies. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  9. "Hannah Claus". Dunlop Learning. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  10. Hannah Claus Artist Talk, retrieved 2020-03-02
  11. "Artist draws inspiration from Haudenosaunee beadwork for McCord Museum residency". 2020-02-18.
  12. "Hannah Claus: trade - treaty - territory". Galleries West. 2020-01-07. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  13. "Hannah Claus: trade treaty territory". Dunlop Learning. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  14. "Hannah Claus' words that are lasting unveiled at Macdonald Hall". The Journal. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  15. "Wampum | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  16. "Indigenous Art in the Law Atrium | Queen's Law". law.queensu.ca. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  17. "Hannah Claus Vernissage: Earth Sea Sky". Mtltimes.ca. 2018-02-05. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  18. "Hannah Claus". Eiteljorg Museum. 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  19. Simpson, Peter. "Ottawa Art Gallery: Inaabiwin lights up art and emotion – ARTSFILE". Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  20. "Sky-Woman, the Iroquois mother goddess (Ataensic, Atahensic, Ataentsic)". www.native-languages.org. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  21. "Clouds up close". The Journal. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  22. "| Regina Public Library". www.reginalibrary.ca. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  23. "Hannah Claus - there's a reason for our connection - McCord Museum". Musee McCord. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  24. "HANNAH CLAUS: spatial codifications". YYZ ARTISTS' OUTLET. 2019-09-10. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  25. "articule | artist run centre". www.articule.org. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  26. "Centre d'exposition L'Imagier — 9 Rue Front, Gatineau, QC". Centre d'exposition L'Imagier (in French). Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  27. Limited, Alamy. "Stock Photo - Hannah Claus - Our minds are one, from the exhibition Àbadakone / Continuous Fire / Feu continuel, National Gallery of Canada". Alamy. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  28. "Clouds up close". The Journal. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  29. Contributor (2012-08-20). "Artist of Mohawk heritage to explore cultural boundaries in Tyler exhibition". Oswego County Today. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  30. "Àbadakone | Continuous Fire | Feu continuel". www.gallery.ca. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  31. "Blurring the Line: Nationally renowned Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship returns to the spotlight". Eiteljorg. 2019-10-07. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  32. "Inaabiwin | Ottawa Art Gallery". oaggao.ca. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  33. "novembre / November 2019". hannah claus. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  34. d'art, MA Musée. "MA Musée d'art - Ayemiyedan Nisin – Dialogue 3". MA - Musée d'Art (in French). Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  35. "Undomesticated". Akimbo. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  36. "Home". Mysite. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  37. "in/visible: body as reflective site". SANDEEP JOHAL. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  38. "Territoire (land)". University of Moncton. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  39. "Reading the Talk". The RMG. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  40. url, monfacebook (2014-07-28). "Sentier Art3: Trois artistes d'ascendance autochtone au Bois de Belle-Rivière". Journal L'Éveil de Saint-Eustache (in French). Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  41. "Sentier Art3". www.maclau.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  42. "Hannah Claus". Eiteljorg Museum. 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  43. FirstAmericanArt (2019-01-28). "Eiteljorg Announces Its 2019 Artist Fellows". First American Art Magazine. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  44. "Rethinking Professionalism | McGill-Queen's University Press". www.mqup.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
  45. Rethinking professionalism : women and art in Canada, 1850-1970. Huneault, Kristina,, Anderson, Janice, 1951-, Canadian Electronic Library. Montréal [Que.]: McGill-Queen's University Press. 2012. ISBN 978-0-7735-8683-3. OCLC 812837107.CS1 maint: others (link)
  46. Inaabiwin. Printup, Danielle, 1989-,, Ottawa Art Gallery,, Robert McLaughlin Gallery,, Art Gallery of Mississauga,, Judith & Norman ALIX Art Gallery,. [Oshawa, Ont.] ISBN 978-1-926589-99-2. OCLC 1080207669.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  47. Reading the talk : Michael Belmore, Hannah Claus, Patricia Deadman, Keesic Douglas, Vanessa Dion Fletcher, Melissa General. Martin, Lee-Ann,, Art Gallery of Peterborough,, Robert McLaughlin Gallery,, MacLaren Art Centre,, Museum London (London, Ont.),. Oshawa. ISBN 978-1-926589-84-8. OCLC 888557598.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
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