Souvenir

2026 - 2027

Touring solo exhibition by Jordan Bennett
Curated by Aiden Gillis & Emma Hassencahl Perley

Souvenir presents paintings and site-specific installations by artist Jordan Bennett in conversation with historical Mi’kmaw quillwork.  

With a research approach of visiting archives, knowledge keepers, and spending time on the land, Bennett draws inspiration from multiple vantage points. He creates large-scale compositions that echo the geometric and curved designs found in Mi’kmaw quillwork, while also responding to the architecture of the gallery space.

Souvenir explores history and heritage through immersive experiences, using bold colour palettes informed by quillwork, Bennett’s everyday life, and familiar landscapes. His work inspires joy and curiosity, reflecting the inherent beauty and humour of Mi’kmaw culture.

The quillwork pieces borrowed from Canadian museums in Souvenir were created for Atlantic trade markets in the 1800s. They contribute to a bridge between Indigenous and settler communities. Bennett positions these pieces today as teachers in conversation with his new artworks, activating a cross-generational meeting ground that connects people with ancestral pieces in a new way.

For tour inquiries, contact IOTAgeneralinfo@gmail.com

Tour Dates

The Rooms

9 Bonaventure Avenue, St. John's, NL 
Level 3 Main Art Gallery 
March 28, 2026 - August 31, 2026

Curated by Aiden Gillis with original curator Ryan Rice

Opening Reception: Fri March 27 — 7:00 - 9:30 PM

Souvenir and Story Skirts: Table Talks with Jordan Bennett, Meagan Musseau, Aiden Gillis, and Jenelle Duval, Saturday March 28, 2:30 - 3:30 PM. This is a free program, but a ticket is required. Click here to reserve your free ticket. 

Visit The Rooms

Confederation Centre for the Arts

Charlottetown, PEI 
Spring/Summer 2027

Curated by Emma Hassencahl-Perley

Credits

Artist

  • Jordan Bennett

Curators

  • Aiden Gillis
  • Emma Hassencahl-Perley

Curatorial Consultation

  • Ryan Rice

Artist Assistant

  • Melissa Francis

Mi’kmaw Translator

  • Ida Denny

Tour Management

  • Mireille Bourgeois, IOTA Studios
  • Amanda Nellie, IbifiriWari

Fabrication Team 

  • Crating by James MacIntosh & Amanda Shore
  • Exhibition furniture by EurekaTec

Acknowledgements

This exhibition was made possible thanks to Onsite Gallery, Ryan Rice, Kanien’kehá:ka, Executive Director + Curator, Indigenous Art at OCAD University’s Onsite Gallery, consultation with Emma Hassencahl-Perley, and the countless artist assistants, staff, friends, and family members. We acknowledge the gracious support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage. We also acknowledge The Rooms, the McCord Stewart Museum, the Canadian Museum of History, and the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, who have loaned cultural belongings from their collections to The Rooms exhibition iteration.

This exhibition is produced in partnership with IOTA Institute as the Touring Manager.

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