Contemporary Calgary has launched a profound new group exhibition titled 'Entwined,' which delves into the multifaceted connections between humanity and the natural world. The exhibition, which opened in January 2026, is the first curated by the institution's new chief curator, Mona Filip, who joined nine months prior.
Art as Testimony: Addressing Trauma and Displacement
The exhibition features works from 19 artists and collectives, presenting a sprawling and often provocative exploration. Among the most striking contributions are two pieces by the mother-son collective Tina Guyani (meaning Deer Road), comprising artist Glenna Cardinal and her son, Seth Cardinal Dodginghorse.
Their work Dunazitsi (be quiet) presents an image of Cardinal's great-grandmother, Winnie Bull, holding her daughter Elsie as a baby in 1921. The image is printed on a blanket with blue fringes, attached to which are $5 worth of pennies. This powerful element represents the annual treaty payment the federal government has made to some Indigenous people since treaties were signed between 1871 and 1921, an amount never adjusted for inflation.
The piece connects directly to a recent personal trauma: in 2014, Cardinal and her family, with six generations of maternal lineage on the land, were displaced from their ancestral home to enable the construction of Calgary's southwest ring road.
Humour and Protest in Artistic Response
The collective's second piece adopts a more irreverent tone. UCPee consists of five rolls of toilet paper, each branded with the name and logo of a company involved in the ring road's construction. Displayed above them is a letter Cardinal penned, which was read by Dodginghorse during the official opening of the Tsuut'ina Trail section on October 1, 2020.
That event saw Dodginghorse make headlines by cutting off his braids in protest. UCPee also includes a copy of the Tsuut'ina chief and council's public response, which distanced itself from and challenged the validity of his protest. "When (expletive) happens, sometimes you gotta laugh and make art," Dodginghorse noted on Instagram regarding the exhibit.
Filip describes the works as a means to process profound trauma. "They have lived through such a personal trauma," she said. "Aside from the historical trauma inflicted on Indigenous nations in Canada, they have lived quite recently through this displacement because of continuing development."
A Broader Conversation on Nature and Existence
While Tina Guyani's works are among the most politically pointed, the entire 'Entwined' exhibition invites a broader meditation. Installed across several spaces at Contemporary Calgary, including the Ring Gallery, the show gathers diverse artistic voices to examine our fundamental place within the natural order.
The exhibition underscores the idea that humans are not separate from nature but an integral part of it, a concept explored through various mediums and perspectives. For Filip, facilitating this dialogue is central to her inaugural curatorial project at the gallery, marking a significant moment for Calgary's contemporary art scene in early 2026.
