Indigenous artists against appropriation showcase work at Edmonton farmers' market

A group of Indigenous artists tired of having their work ripped off have joined Edmonton's 104th Street farmers' market, shedding some light on art appropriation.

The Indigenous Artist Market Collective features a rotating cast of artists and makers who create authentic Indigenous art. That means people who visit their booths at the downtown market on Saturdays won't see pieces that have been mass produced or made in China, for example.

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Cree-Mtis artist Dawn Marie Marchand said the collective breaks down barriers that keep Indigenous artists out of mainstream spaces.

The artist from Cold Lake First Nation said the financial side of the industry has challenged some creators.

"When you're hand-making everything, you can't do the same inventory as somebody who's ordering something out of a catalogue that's coming out of China," she said. "We can't match that cost and we can't match that production."

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People often buy inexpensive rip-offs of Indigenous work because they don't know where it comes from, Marchand said. That hurts people who make authentic pieces.

"Somebody who has to work four to six hours to create a piece of artwork for you has to sell it because the market expects it at low cost or at cost. And [the artists] never make it ahead," Marchand said.

Cree artist Aaron Lee was selling handmade dreamcatchers at the market on Saturday. The one-of-a-kind pieces are meticulously crafted, as Lee attaches small rocks to thin strands of sinew, which are attached to a willow frame.

The quality of the dreamcatchers is different than those that have been mass produced.

"These knock-offs, it's low quality material, it's slapped together and it's dirt cheap," said Lee, who is a member of the Indigenous Artist Market Collective

He offered a simple solution for those hoping to avoid purchasing inauthentic art: "If you want something authentic, then come to the source."

Art made by Mtis, Inuit and First Nations people should come with a certificate of authenticity, he added.

Both Lee and Marchand said there needs to be more education about art made by Indigenous Canadians.

Lee, Marchand and other artists will continue to share their message and work at the City Market Downtown until it wraps up in October.