A story of personal struggle and triumph currently adorns the walls of the Mezzanine Gallery in the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre.
Comprised of tens of thousands of beads, the work of Matthew Vukson was chosen by the Art Selection Committee to be displayed in the Gallery. Titled “Ehts’o nàtsʼeelıı,” or “We Sew Beads,” Vukson’s works combine traditional Dene beading practices with his own imagination and style.
Matthew Vukson welcoming Heritage Centre guests to his exhibit. (Connor Pitre/CKLB)
Vukson first took an interest in beading in 2016, when he attended an event called “Opening Doors for Dialogue,” which was a beading workshop for the survivors of residential schools. That event is what sparked an interest in beadwork inside Matthew, as it showed him how the art form could be used to express feelings and tell stories.
From then on, Vukson was taught the traditional Dene form of beadwork by his mother, Celine Mackenzie Vukson. She taught him the practice of two-needle beading, which is a special method that tightly fastens every bead flat on the material.
Three of Matthew Vukson’s pieces on display at the Heritage Centre. (Connor Pitre/CKLB)
While Vukson is normally based out of Brantford, Ontario, his family hails from Behchoko, which has given him a strong connection to the Dene culture from an early age.
Much of Vukson’s work served as an outlet for his feelings regarding his family’s history with residential schools and with colonialism.
A set of handcuffs beaded by Matthew Vukson. (Connor Pitre/CKLB)
“I went through some trying times in my life, and I had to dig deep and really hard to get through them, and I never gave up. That’s the power of art and storytelling and beadwork. I’ve always been around it in my life.”
Vukson shared that his mother had once tried to teach him beadwork much earlier, but he was uninterested at the time. It was only a few years before he attended the workshop that would open his eyes to the practice.
“After I learned how to bead, I wanted to make my own things. I wanted to make my own vest, and those are the ones on display now. I didn’t want to buy the beadwork of any other person, I wanted to make my own style, so that’s kind of how I got started.”
One of the beadwork art pieces created by Matthew Vukson. (Connor Pitre/CKLB)
The beads used in Vukson’s work are incredibly small, and by design, have the viewer leaning in close to appreciate the intricate detail. Some of the pieces refer to Matthew’s past, some invoke discussions on political matters, and others hint at the man’s future, referencing events in a novel that Vukson is currently writing.
All of Vukson’s work will be on display at the Heritage Centre from June until December.
