Media & Community Launch – Unceded: Voices of the Land

October 5, 2021

Alberta Architect, Douglas Cardinal Brings Unceded: Voices of the Land to Edmonton

The Pendennis Building took on a much different look last week, as it welcomed Edmonton media, arts community members and, the business community to an unveiling and debut of a brand new exhibit that will be hosted at the Pendennis Building in March 2022.

World-renowned architect, Douglas Cardinal, is the creator of Unceded: Voices of the Land: a multi-media art exhibition that brings together the past, present, and future of the Indigenous experience and showcases the work of 18 different Indigenous architects from across North America.

With giant screens displaying video of the exhibit, and a soundtrack of indigenous music playing, media and community members were transported into an experience that gave them a sample of what to expect when Unceded launches inside the Pendennis in March of 2022.

Douglas Cardinal himself flew to Edmonton from his home in Ottawa, to personally announce the exhibit which he is excited to bring to his home province.

From the podium, Cardinal said, “I think it’ll be an opportunity for people to see our Indigenous culture, experience it, and I feel it helps to have better communication between our two peoples here,” he said as he addressed over 50 invited guests at the recently restored and historically designated Pendennis Building on Jasper Avenue.

The exhibit, which debuted in Venice in 2018 was housed at the Venice Architecture Biennale. Most recently it concluded a showing at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa in February.

Cardinal did numerous media interviews – and while 86 years of age, he never tired of answering questions or speaking about his world views.

“I firmly believe that the Indigenous world view, which has always sought this balance between nature, culture, and technology, is the path that humanity must rediscover and adapt for our future,” Cardinal shared with CKUA host Grant Stovel in his interview on Alberta Morning. “The teachings of the Elders are not the teachings of the past. They are the teachings of the future.”

As a master builder of some of Edmonton’s most iconic buildings, including St. Albert Place, the Telus World of Science, and Grande Prairie Regional College. Cardinal was always ahead of his time – using technology to really push the bounds of architecture while remaining rooted in the teachings of his elders.

“Bringing this exhibition to Edmonton is something special, he told the CBC in an interview. “I am absolutely in love with my culture, totally and I want to share that love with everyone that I can.”