TRU Williams Lake invites all to thought-provoking Indigenous exhibit – TRU Newsroom
The Witness Blanket exhibit
WILLIAMS LAKE — Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Williams Lake, in partnership with the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin, proudly welcomes the Witness Blanket, a nationally recognized art installation, to campus.
Developed by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and Indigenous artist Carey Newman, the Witness Blanket is a powerful and thought-provoking work of art that recognizes the dark and difficult legacy of residential schools in our country. Inspired by a woven blanket, the cedar‐framed artwork is made of more than 800 reclaimed items — including braids of hair, a hockey trophy and a piece of stained glass — from 77 sites across Canada, including residential schools, churches and cultural organizations.
“I talk about the Witness Blanket as a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call for commemoration initiatives,” Newman told CBC Radio. “It was my way of using art to talk about the truth of residential school history in Canada. It was inspired by my father and his experience.”
Dates: Mon., Nov. 27, 2023 to Mon., Jan. 8, 2024
Times: 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Mon. to Thurs.); 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (Fri.); 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (Sat.); and 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (Sun.); Opening event on Mon., Nov. 27 at 1 p.m.
Location: 1250 Western Avenue, TRU Williams Lake*
*Parking is free on campus.
Contact: (available as of Monday, Nov. 20)
Pat Biblow, Manager, Administration and Operations
TRU Williams Lake
[email protected] | 250-392-8021