CULTURE INFLUENCES ART. Koda Taylor-Cormell (left) and Jennifer Gougé (right) share conversation at the "emergent gestures" artist reception on July 26. This artist installation series will feature diverse mediums under the umbrella of Indigenous futurism, brought to life by the resurge/alight/burrow camp.

Between the ancient pines, a space deeply rooted in the heart of the community has continued its organic, vibrant growth.

This summer and into the fall, resurge/alight/burrow has continued to provide “offerings,” spaces where the community can gather, in theme with the Indigenous futurist umbrella the camp was created under.

“emergent gestures,” an artist installation featuring diverse mediums and collective expressions, was welcomed to the camp on Saturday, July 26.

An evolution of the installation brought to life last fall by Anishinaabe artisan and PortalKeeper, Jennifer Gougé, emergent gestures highlights the artforms of local or regional creatives — whose work emerges from their intersectional Native identities and lived experiences.

“We're going to be featuring Indigenous artists and work that is building toward a future that is aligning with an Indigenous future,” Jennifer said.

Located in Carson Park alongside the Chippewa Valley Museum (1204 E Half Moon Dr.) — which acts as a co-presenter to resurge/alight/burrow — the three wigwams feature an immersive activity or resource to intersect with the artist installations.

A view from within the ceremonial wigwam at the resurge/alight/burrow camp. Often a closed space, the door will open to highlight the emergent gestures artist installations as they continue into the fall and spring.

The inaugural installation of emergent gestures featured the work of Koda Taylor-Cormell, an Anishinaabe artisan from the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa nation, who explores both two- and-three dimensional mediums through their creative practices.

“The (installation was) created in a way that honors relativity and a collective, fractal movement in the same direction,” Jennifer said. “This almost feels like a ceremonial passage for (Koda); he's helping birth this series into the world.”

The installation took place from 12pm to 5pm in the ceremonial wigwam, which was opened specifically for this event. An artist reception was held at 12:30pm, where Koda had the opportunity to share stories on three recent works from their personal and academic journey.

"My culture as an Ojibwe/Anishinaabe person will always have an influence on my art."

koda taylor-cormell

mixed media artist, Anishinaabe of the Lac Courte Oreilles band of Lake Superior Chippewa

His first piece was an abstract drawing that incorporated both ink and oil pastel. Koda drew inspiration from forest imagery and the human anatomy, drawing the viewer into and through the environment pictured.

Abstract Plant, Ink Drawing on Paper (Untitled) by Koda Taylor-Cormell.

“The artist leans into fascination with the ink, engaging its viscosity through splatter and drip techniques,” the description wrote.

A second drawing depicts a still life study of color, and its interactions with light, Koda said. Color is brought to life through a “triadic scheme,” as he infuses walnut oil into each oil pastel to create blends of red-orange, yellow-green, and blue-violet.

A site-specific 3D installation was featured in the ceremonial wigwam, positioned between the two drawings. With inspiration from the antlers of a deer — and his environment on-campus as a student of the University of Wisconsin-Stout — the piece’s materials were sourced from the earth and incorporate organic materials.

Koda purposefully created "Y" shapes when wrapping the branches, so he could weave dream catcher (and) spider web-like designs into the crevices, he shared. In traditional teachings, it was spiders who taught his people how to make dream catchers.

Sculptural Antler Installation (Untitled) by Koda Taylor-Cormell.

"My culture as an Ojibwe/Anishinaabe person will always have an influence on my art," Koda said. "Art is an innately human experience — whether we are aware of it or not — every experience we have shapes us as a person, and therefore our art as well."

The community wigwam, pictured above, was host to a free clothing swap — a resource-focused offering by resurge/alight/burrow.

The emergent gestures series featured a free clothing swap at one of the community wigwams, a discussion for the Half Moon Reading Circle book club, and the Crescent Moon Market — where creatives like Jennifer sold their hand-made items.

“There are different kinds of vignettes to travel through, as you move through the camp.

“As you’re physically moving through the camp in the four directions, it embodies a lot of my hopes for the space without specifically having to name any of them," Jennifer said.

Each resource and event in this space is intrinsically linked to the themes of resurge/alight/burrow, she said. In addition, these offerings emphasize different ways of knowing and storytelling shared amongst Native nations.

“The (installation was) created in a way that honors relativity and a collective, fractal movement in the same direction."

jennifer gougé

portalkeeper, Anishinaabe of the Lac Courte Oreilles band of Lake Superior Chippewa

For example, the Crescent Moon Market was an installment of the larger Markets of the Moon convergence; each market date to coincide with its corresponding moon phase.

Similarly, the title “Half Moon Reading Circle” also draws inspiration from a connection to the natural world the physical space inhabits. “We are really following nature's lead,” she noted.

These offerings and more will continue in tandem with the emergent gestures installations. A future artist installation — "Manufactured Ecosystems" — will be showcased in late October.

Curated by a global team of artists, scientists, engineers, and writers from the University of Guelph, the partnership will showcase interactive and imaginative exhibitions which “forecast how humanity might adapt to ecological collapse using nature-inspired technologies.”

Attendees of the emergent gestures exhibition had the chance to browse through the Crescent Moon Market, which also took place on July 26. Makers like Jennifer had the opportunity to share their hand-made creations in an intimate environment.

The future of emergent gestures and resurge/alight/burrow offerings will expand to offer a speaker series — with regional literaries, poetry readings, film screenings, and more. Installations from Jennifer’s evolving body of work will also return to the camp in the coming year, she said. As Jennifer noted, the upcoming installations and events will tell many stories of her community.

“We are honoring our past and present, but also asserting that we are going to have an Indigenous future,” she said.

Stay up to date with resurge/alight/burrow offerings through Jennifer Gougé’s social media platforms online (@jgougephoto). Koda Taylor-Cormell’s works can be found online through Instagram (@kachow_koda).

Koda Taylor-Cormell, pictured above, shares the meaning behind each of his three art pieces on display during the emergent gestures artist reception on July 26.

A view of Koda's artistic works inside the ceremonial wigwam within the resurge/alight/burrow camp.

Paintings, drawings and other photo prints by David Holloway were available to purchase during the Crescent Moon Market.

Hand-beaded "Bookish Earrings" by Jennifer Gougé, pictured above, from the Crescent Moon Market.