Busy, busy October!

Wow. I can’t believe how fast October is flying by. Fall has been just perfect this year and there are so many great things happening that are worth doing and sharing. But first I’m going to follow in the footsteps of my predecessor and introduce both myself as well as my good intentions for the next six months….

My name is Megan Bertagnolli and the short biography about me on the Writer in Residence page states that I am a writer, but I consider myself to be much more of an educator. What I enjoy is connecting people to new ideas in ways that are both engaging and meaningful to them. I strive to do this by creating a space for dialogue in the talks I give, the programming develop, and the curatorial projects in which I am involved. Having recently graduated with a Masters in the History of Art, Design and Visual Culture, my approach to these different roles is informed by my art historical background, rather than being rooted in art education or practice. As such, one of my principal endeavours during this residency is to engage with readings about critical museum pedagogy and practice, and to investigate how different people use and make sense of visual culture. I’m also curious about the perceptions or beliefs that circulate about what art is or what art has the capacity to be or do.

One of the reasons I’ve been so busy this month comes as a result of Alberta Eugenics Awareness Week and my participation in the Collective Memory Project: Responses to Eugenics in Alberta. Spearheaded by former Writer in Residence Anne Pasek, the entire project consisted of a series of public discussions about the history of eugenics in Canada and open studio where people had the opportunity to make art work responding to that history. This project will be punctuated by an exhibition of both historical documents and artworks that attempts to make eugenic “histories and ideologies visible.” Furthermore, it gives agency to communities and voices not often seen or heard.

The term “eugenics” comes from the Greek for “well-born.” Broadly speaking, however, eugenics encompasses the policies, practices and attitudes that both promote and discourage certain characteristics or socio-cultural groups. Examples include everything from the classification, segregation and sterilization of the “unfit” (those with disabilities, mental health issues, labeled sexually deviant, or from particular racial groups) as well as modern genetic testing, prenatal screening and the rise of designer babies. Often associated with the extreme example of Nazi Germany, Canada’s own involvement includes Residential Schools and Provincial Training Schools which sought to address “the Indian problem” and “the feeble-minded threat” respectively.

This week (October 15-23) is Alberta Eugenics Awareness Week talks, films and performances relating to this history of eugenics in Alberta. Opening on the 23rd in the Extension Gallery at Enterprise Square (10230 Jasper Ave) will be the exhibition component of the Collective Memory Project, which includes an interactive component that invites visitors to actively engage with the themes and ideas being presented by contributing their own stories and reflections to the eugenics tree. While the reception will be this Sunday from 2-4 pm, the exhibition runs until the 23rd of November.