Anti-uranium_art

Jeff Green | Jun 11, 2009

Paul Gervin and Wolfe Ehrlichman presented a skit with Dumbglo the $28 billion (and counting) elephant

The protest against uranium exploration in North Frontenac has taken many forms, and on May 31 it was the turn of the artists, as a group of activists/artists - or perhaps artists/activists presented a diverse set of works at a one-day show at the Maberly Hall.

The art was as varied as the political struggle has been, taking on Aboriginal issues, issues of social justice, and the question of uranium mining in addition to the protest against exploration.

Sulyn Cedar presented a spoken word piece that sprang from her tangles with the police at the Robertsville site. Among the 20 or so varied pieces on display, woodcarver Mickie Mackie showed a carved Osprey he spent a year making as a gesture in support of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, who have an Osprey on their own flag. The Sullivan family took photographs of No Uranium signs from the surrounding countryside and mounted them on a background. Students from Sharbot Lake High School made a large puppet, with the assistance of artist Cheryl Matson, to be used in protests. Other artists, including Sandy McNulty, Isidora Spielmann, Carol Pepper, Martina Field, and Sheila Macdonald also presented pieces, and Dave Dawson read a poem about the struggle, followed by an appearance by Dwayne Scudder.

Filmmaker Liisa Rissanen presented a 30-minute film about a group of canoeists who traveled from Mud Lake at Ardoch all the way to Parliament Hill to present water to Scott Reid and declare a moratorium on uranium prospecting on Algonquin territory. And in the realm of theatre, Paul Gervin and Wolfe Ehrlichman presented a skit with Dumbglo the $28 billion (and counting) elephant that they have prepared for use at political gatherings this summer as a protest against Ontario's plans to build new nuclear reactors.

All in all, the art show was an opportunity for the varied currents of thought and action about the uranium process and the local struggle to be expressed.

To mark the second anniversary of the start of the occupation of the Robertsville mine site, the Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium (CCAMU) is planning their next event on June 28. A potluck dinner and dance will be held, also at the Maberly Hall, featuring the popular Perth dance band BeatleJuice. Tickets are $20 for the fundraising event. For information, call Sulyn Cedar at 613-268-2424.