Artists Émilie Monnet and Dayna Danger collaborate together with Brenda Lee Marcoux, Gail Golder, Violet Rose Quinney, Crystal Star Einish and Jenna Guanish to create Wishes / Souhaits. Stars hold a place of special significance in all our Indigenous cultures: they can be ancestors, hand-sewn on blankets to honour people, be a part of our names, or to wish upon. Wishes / Souhaits is a photographic and sound immersive installation that explores the possibilities of dream and imagination to envision ourselves in an empowering way. If we could imagine a star self into existence, who would that person be?
Wishes / Souhaits is part of a larger interdisciplinary community arts project with the Native Women Shelter of Montreal. Initiated by choreographer Reena Almoneda Chang in 2014, in collaboration with artists Dayna Danger, Émilie Monnet and Melissa Morris, the project explores how one can create a feeling of sanctuary in one’s self. Drawing from the individual and collective strengths as indigenous women, mothers, and survivors, the project uses different creative process experiences in dance/movement, theatre, visual art, and video to give voice to the individual and collective experiences
