Two new exhibitions are coming to the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum in August. Everyone is invited to attend the vernissage for Unfinished Journey: Memory, Identity, & Family by Anne Kelly and Queer Newfoundland Hockey League by Lucas Morneau on Saturday, August 8 at 1pm. Both exhibitions will be on display until September 20.
Rooted in themes of memory and identity, drawing deeply from her personal narrative, Anne Kelly weaves together recollections from her travels and experiences of living both in Canada and the UK in Unfinished Journey. Her creative process is marked by the thoughtful selection of vintage and reclaimed textiles, which not only add layers of history to her pieces but also evoke a sense of nostalgia and continuity. Her iconic Unfinished Journey Canoe is the centrepiece of the exhibition, linking her past, present, and future. Anne’s practice encompasses exhibitions, commissions, and contributions to both private and public collections in the UK and internationally.
Lucas Morneau has created Queer Newfoundland Hockey League — a fictional hockey league made up of 14 teams, all of which use pejoratives used against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community as team names. Lucas uses these pejoratives to reclaim the words often used against queer individuals both on and off the ice. The exhibition showcases hand crocheted and rughooked jerseys and crochet goalie masks, using craft practices often delegated as “women’s work”. Employing drag and gender performance as a central tool in their practice, Lucas blends textiles, photography, video, and performance to queer Canadian cultural traditions and pastimes to challenge heteronormativity and homophobia.
“We are honoured to showcase Anne Kelly at the Museum once again — this time for a solo exhibition,” notes MVTM Curator Michael Rikley-Lancaster. “I am always in awe of her intense and beautiful stitching. To me, it’s a mix between the stitching in place of a paintbrush and the incredible stitching of a crazy quilt. I look forward to this journey with Anne, and to sharing it with the community. I am also a super fan of Lucas Morneau’s creations. This series of works was created well before Heated Rivalry went viral with a TV show. Lucas is working to break stereotypes; between the sport that some in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community enjoy and the love they can’t ignore. We look forward to this humorous yet poignant exhibition.”
