Programming
Zasaan
Artist
Zasaan is a commissioned outdoor sculptural work created by internationally renowned artist and curator Barry Ace to mark SAW’s 50th anniversary in 2023. This powerful piece is installed on the portico and will grace Arts Court’s façade for the next two years. Zasaan is an internally illuminated artwork, offering a captivating view to the public day and night.
Zasaan is the Anishinaabemowin word for nest. The work features four Bneswag (Thunderbirds) standing united in a circle protecting a nest, symbolizing the four directions, the sacred circle and the nurturing of artists. Zasaan is Barry Ace’s first commissioned sculpture and features his signature blend of electronic component floral work and circuit boards.
SAW is situated on the traditional territory of the Anishnaabe peoples and has long served as a vital meeting ground for many generations of artists, cultural workers and audiences. For decades, SAW has centred Indigenous art as part of its artistic and educational programs. Notably, SAW recently launched the Nordic Lab, an Indigenous-led research and production space that organizes exhibitions showcasing the work of emerging and established Indigenous artists from the Canadian North and South and the circumpolar world.
SAW and Barry Ace wish to acknowledge the crucial support and assistance of Earl Truelove, the City of Ottawa’s Public Art Program and Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Department, Tony Pownall of Canus Plastics Inc., Gilmore Reproductions, ACFO Ottawa’s Bilingual Ottawa program and Arts Court.
About the artist
Barry Ace is a practicing visual artist currently based in Ottawa. He is a debendaagzijig (citizen) of M’Chigeeng First Nation, Odawa Mnis (Manitoulin Island), Ontario, Canada. Ace’s work embraces the impact of the digital age and how it exponentially transforms and infuses Anishinaabeg culture (and other global cultures) with new technologies and new ways of communicating. His work attempts to harness and bridge the precipice between historical and contemporary knowledge, and art and power, while maintaining a distinct Anishinaabeg aesthetic connecting generations. He is a founding member of the Indigenous Curatorial Collective.
SAW giizhowendamag wiikijinigowin giin miinwaa gwiijikiwen owi baakiiginigaazad anookiing agojiing mazinkoojigewin Zasaan, agaa zhichigaademigag owa myaamiikwenimind mezinchiged miinwaa nyaagidowenjiged Barry Ace awii gikinwaaj’chigaadeg SAW ado 50th. Maanda mashkowiziimigag zhichigan ada ozhisijigaademigad zhiwe biindigewin e’gibagaadeg zhiwe nipaajiwiing owi SAW agojiing aajigitigaan, zhiwe age zazegaatwod Arts Court ado niigaan’iwiing owi wiigwaam niizhoo biboon minik. Zasaan aawon biinjiwiing e’waaskonemigag mazinkoojigan, maagwemigag owi waakabijigewin wawaabmjigan gewe bemaadizijig epiichi giizhigag miinwaa dibikag.
Zasaan aawon Anishinaabemowin kidiwin owi zasaan. Owi zhichigan niigaansinoon niiwin Bneswag (Thunderbirds) maamowi naaniibwikiigaabiwaad gaataawiing owi zasiwin, gikinwaajinaagwog newen niiwin anikeyaa, owi gachitwaa waawiye-aag miinwaa maajiigichigewin gewe mezinchigejig. Zasaan aawon Barry Ace ado ntam anookiing mazinkoojigan miinwaa niigaansin ado nisidwinaagwog maamiwising owi waasamowinkaadeg waaskonewin mazinchigewin miinwaa waasamowin biimskobidechigan.
SAW temigad zhiwe gete aki gewe Anishinaabe bemaadizijig miinwaa gichi gnesh ekwaa aawong gechi piitendaagwog nakweshkaading aki owi gichi niibna aanke mezinchigejig, inaadiziwin enkiitamowaad miinwaa gewe e’bizindamajig. Gichi niibna midaawskwaak biboon, SAW agii zhisidoon Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig mazinchigewinan aawong bezhig ado mazinchigewin miinwaa gikonomaagewin nankiiwin. Gegeti, SAW naamoomiyaa agii nisaakinaan owi Nordic Lab, owi Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig naagaaniwidowad nanaandawi gikenjige miinwaa enji nakiing zhisidoong bebaamwijigaadeg waabmdowewinan naagaansijigaademigag newen mazinchiginan gewe oshki maajitaajig miinwaa gekenjigaaziwaad Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig mazinchigejig onji owi Canadian Giiwedinong miinwaa Zhaawinong miinwaa owi gaataa mekwamiikaag aki.
SAW miinwaa Barry Ace ndo’wendaanaa’aa awii nisidiwinimowaad owi gechi piitendaagwog aasgaabiwichigewin miinwaa naadmaagewin owa Earl Truelove, owa Gichi Odena Ottawa ado Kina Bemaadizijig Mazinchigewin Nankiiwin miinwaa Inaaknigewin, Real Estate miinwaa Economic Development Department, Tony Pownall, Canus Plastics Inc., Gilmore Reproductions, ACFO Ottawa’s Niish Iniwewin Ottawa nankiiwin miinwaa Arts Court.
Owi owa mazinchiged
Barry Ace aawi e’bimiikang mazinchigewin megwaa endinakiid Ottawa. Dibendaagozi owi M’Chigeeng inikaaneziwin, Odawa Mnis, Ontario, Canada. Ace ado nankiiwin ashodinaan owi madookidaagemigag owi waasamowin kaadeg kina gego miinwaa owi gichi gizhiibideg ezhi aanjisemigag miinwaa biindagadoon Anishinabeg inaadiziwin (miinwaa age bkaan maziwe kamig inaadiziwinan) owi oshki waasamo biiwaabikoong mazinaatesing miinwaa oshki nikiiyaa ezhi wiijiinding. Ado nankiiwin gajitoon awii debibidod miinwaa aazhowisidod owi giishkidinaag owi mewizha miinwaa oshki gikendaasowin, miinwaa mazinchigewin miinwaa waasamowin, epiichi ayaamigag owi bezhigwong Anishinaabeg beshigendaagwog dikobinindwaa aanke bimaadizijig. Aawi owa agaa maajiishkaatojig waajiiwed owi Giizhaa Agaa Yaajig Nyaagidowenjigaadeg Maamowiyaang.