An Indian Act: Shooting the Indian Act
September 13 – 14, 1997
Performance Art, Exhibition
About the Program
In September 1997, Indigenous artist Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun travelled to the United Kingdom to present his performance An Indian Act: Shooting the Indian Act. The Indian Act was passed by the Canadian government in 1868 and was based on "New World" legislation created by the sovereign British government as they attempted to subdue, control, and assimilate Indigenous people in a racist and paternalistic manner. The effects of the Indian Act, amended many times and still in effect today, include the outlawing of language, an extinguishing policy of land, the confinement of Indigenous people to reservations without consent, withholding rights to vote, forcing religious beliefs, and making it illegal for Indigenous people to hold general assembly. Yuxweluptun took numerous copies of the act to shoot under controlled conditions.September 13, 1997: Artists Rifle Club, Bisley Camp, Surrey, UK
September 14, 1997: Healy Estate, Northumberland, UK
Credits
Video documentation: Dana ClaxtonVideo editing: Brigitta Kocsis
Identifier
1997.0913 SHOCollection
grunt gallery Programming ArchiveLocation
Artists Rifle ClubBisley Camp, Surrey, United Kingdom
Healy Estate
Northumberland, United Kingdom
In copyright. For uses beyond Fair Dealing, research requests, corrections, takedown requests, or other inquiries, please contact grunt gallery: archives@grunt.ca