Ojibway artist's beadwork sculptures tell stories of traditions and contemporary life

Nico Williams explores patterns of power, traditions and healing through beads.

"Looking at the past, you have to think about your ancestors and how they were creating these magnificent works of art," said Williams, who is originally from the Aamjiwnaang First Nation in southwestern Ontario.

"All First Nations, we had this attraction to glass beads and thread. We'd trade acres of land for pounds of thread, beads and blankets. so they are very important materials to us."

The 29-year-old Ojibway artist and Concordia University graduate has 13 of his beaded sculptures on display as part of the Mnidnoominehnsuk (Spirit Berries) exhibition at Espace Culturel Ashukan in Montreal.

The exhibition features his largest geometric beadwork sculpture to date that includes more than 54,000 woven glass Delica beads.

Like a quilt, each panel depicts a different story such as his experience at his grandmother's wake ceremony, walleye fishing, blueberry picking and even playing bingo. He left another blank, surrounded by the Hudson Bay Company's iconic striped pattern, to represent missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

"This pattern is missing here for missing women," said Williams.

The sculptures are inspired by Ojibway bandolier bags, and developed into 3D structures after he peyote-stitched Delica beads together in lieu of using birch bark while trying to make a quill box.

Williams said beading is something First Nations will continue to carry on for future generations and as one of the few men taking on the skill, he encourages more to do so as a way of breaking stereotypes.

"I don't think beadwork has a gender," said Williams.

"It's also carrying on traditions, seeing what you can do with it to keep pushing it further."

Many of his sculptures depict images of sturgeon or rez dogs, while others are more abstract patterns of wine and the smallpox virus.

"He's encoding Indigenous history in his beaded architectural pieces," said Nadine St-Louis, executive director at Ashukan.

"Beads have always been used to bring things together. I think he's extraordinary — the volume of knowledge that he's acquired and the skill that he has to present these very unique sculptures."

The exhibition, which runs until Oct. 7, opens Wednesday night as part of Montreal's First Peoples Festival.

It's the third year that Ashukan has partnered with the festival, offering a number of master classes and events at its venue in the heart of Old Montreal.