Ottawa Rock N’ Gem Show

This exhibition highlights a selection of works of art by First Nations and Métis artists from the Canada Council Art Bank collection. The Art Bank, which has proudly featured works by Indigenous artists since its inception in 1972, further supports the Canada Council’s commitment to public engagement and diversity.

Highlighting the four seasons and local plants of the Outaouais region in Quebec, L’atelier de l’Aube (Marie Drolet and Oleksandr Polishchuck), in collaboration with Emily Rose Michaud, created Illuminated Seasons. Using hand carving and moulding techniques, each porcelain tile is illuminated to showcase the delicate and intricate craftmanship. Each piece holds personal meaning to the artists and serves as a greater symbol of our innate connection to Earth.

This exhibition brings together artists Kanna Anigbogu, Abdul Hamid Kanu Jr. and Don Kwan to explore memory, cultural history and the diasporic experience. Through black-and-white photography, digital art and mixed media inspired by family archives, the works reflect cultural resilience and personal narratives. Kanu captures Sierra-Leonean communities reconnecting with their heritage. Anigbogu uses Igbo motifs to evoke the freedom of youth. Kwan illuminates intergenerational Chinese-Canadian stories through resonant objects.Curator Yanaminah Thullah examines "diasporic nostalgia" — a longing for one’s homeland…