Curated by Franchesca Hebert-Spence

Shelley Niro’s work has long been lauded for her pops of humour, revisioning stories from that have been shared with her, as well as narratives that address historical and ongoing colonialism that affects communities to this day. What makes Shelley’s work truly special is the way in which her work approaches and constantly considers youth – specifically Kanien’kehá:ka youth – as an audience. In doing so, Shelley’s work remains powerful, making nods to visual cues that other Indigenous folks will see and appreciate, while also not diving into the depths of taking itself too seriously.

Calling Through the Trees engages with the ways in which Shelley’s work wields the power to resonate with community members’ hearts, serving as a touchstone within storytelling.

Calling Through the Trees is a multimedia installation/exhibition featuring thirteen short films, including Suite: INDIAN, Sky Woman With Us, Hunger, Niagara, The Flying Head, and My Heart is in the Forest. Calling Through the Trees installation takes a novel approach to gallery-based film experiences, bringing in elements of theatres and gatherings – challenging the ways in which we’ve come to expect to consume cultural production.