New art exhibit opens doors at TRU for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

KAMLOOPS — Thompson Rivers University (TRU) opened the doors to a new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls (MMIWG) on Monday (Oct. 4).

The exhibit will display work of local collaborators on the 2021 Red Dress Project that will be on display until Oct. 15, 2021.

Collaborators include students and alumni who have created paintings, sculptures, and videos about the topic.

Each of the red dresses represents and honours hundreds of missing Indigenous Women and Girls across Canada, and the red dress symbolizes their missing spirits.

Red is the color chosen because Indigenous peoples say it is the only color that spirits see, so it is like calling them back home. Red dresses will be hanging from trees across campus as well.

TRU welcomed the public to its opening ceremony at the Old Main Art Gallery. It began with a prayer from a Tk’emlups te Secwepemc Elder, followed by guest speakers as well as a performance from local powwow dancers.