New exhibition examines the power of music
The foyer of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum (RSM) is the site of a new interactive exhibit, which has opened just in time for the 2013 Juno Awards in Regina.
Called The Power of Music, it is a celebration of sustainability in terms of social action, resilience and the importance of local community.
Musician and artist Buffy Sainte-Marie was at the museum with a group of Scott Collegiate students on Thursday morning to check out the display, which will call the museum home until summer when it will tour the province.
“I was really happy the Junos decided to do this exhibit on something that really makes sense beside music,” Sainte-Marie said.
“It’s not only the messages, it’s the music. It’s not as though the wisdom of a song is separate from the music. It’s all one thing and it’s in your life and in your heart everyday.”
The exhibit was curated by RSM curator of human ecology, Glenn Sutter, and is based around four pyramidal stations, reminiscent of the iconic shape of a Juno trophy. Each station is dedicated to a different sustainability theme and features a Canadian artist promoting that theme.
Sainte-Marie’s station, for instance, promotes wisdom.
In particular, she explained on Thursday, it examines the idea of environmental greed through her song No No Keshagesh.
“(The song) is a lighthearted look at something serious, and that’s the way to get an issue known,” she said, adding with a smile, “you don’t want to come in being too heavy-handed.”
An iPad at each station also includes songs from other Canadian artists like Neil Young, Billy Talent, Arcade Fire and Justin Beiber, and offers practical hints for more sustainable living.
Sainte-Marie said she was excited to be able to tour the exhibit with the Scott Collegiate students, particularly so young people can absorb the messages being offered.
“Hopefully they’ll be smarter than the present generation,” she said.
The Royal Saskatchewan Museum is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.