“My artwork speaks from my lived experience as it connects outwards to my family, community, all living creatures, the Earth, and the Universe.”
– Shirley Moorhouse
When she was born, Shirley Moorhouse’s maternal Grandmother, Anana, named her ᐃᔨ (E-Ye-I) in Inuktitut, meaning Eyes. As a young child, she watched her extended family create many items of form, function, and beauty. She has been creating her own artwork for over 30 years, driven by curiosity and a desire to share her stories.
This exhibition showcases Moorhouse’s innovative art practice, from her earliest pieces to new and recently restored artworks. Moorhouse is renowned for her distinctive wall hangings, which incorporate embroidery, beading, and smoke-tanned caribou hide, along with unconventional materials and found objects. Her vibrant imagery delves into complex themes, including environmental stewardship, resource extraction, geopolitics, spirituality, and cultural continuity. Through her work, Moorhouse also extends the invitation “to reflect, to dream, and to celebrate the beauty and mysteries of life.”
ᐃᔨ – Eyes – Shirley Moorhouse
Realized as a collaboration between the artist and Rose Bouthillier, Guest Curator.
Circulated by The Rooms, St. John’s, NL.
Above images:
Shirley Moorhouse, See Beneath the Waves, 2000. Detail. Black stroud, smoke-tanned caribou hide, various materials . Collection of the artist.
Shirley Moorhouse, Dancing to the Moon, 2020. Black stroud, smoke-tanned caribou hide, various materials. Collection of the artist.