Nicole Goldsworthy
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
SASKTODAY.ca
HUMBOLDT — A new exhibition at the Humboldt and District Gallery is bringing northern Saskatchewan’s muskeg landscapes into focus, highlighting both their ecological richness and the risks they face from resource extraction.
“ôma askiy âpacihcikâtîw (this land is in use)” by Vanessa Hyggen runs May 1 to June 23, at the gallery, located on the second floor of 601 Main Street.
The Humboldt Gallery said the body of work explores the diversity, beauty and importance of muskeg ecosystems, while drawing attention to the growing threat of peat and strip mining in northern regions.
Peat mining typically involves draining water from muskeg areas and removing vegetation, including species such as sundews, pitcher plants, Labrador tea, black spruce, birch, willows, alders and various berry plants. These ecosystems are slow to regenerate — it can take up to 10 years for just one centimetre of peat to form.
Hyggen’s work emphasizes the cultural and environmental significance of these landscapes, particularly for northern and Indigenous communities. Protecting undisturbed land, she suggests through her art, is critical to the continuation of traditions, knowledge and ways of life, said Catherine Harrison, cultural programmer.
Many people are unfamiliar with muskeg environments, and the exhibition aims to bring that experience to a broader audience.
Hyggen is a Canadian artist of Woodlands Cree and Norwegian ancestry and a member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, with roots in nemepith sipihk (Sucker River). She holds a Bachelor of Arts with distinction from the University of Saskatchewan.
Her work incorporates themes of memory, tradition and nature, with a strong focus on land conservation and sovereignty. Through painting and beadwork, she explores both the richness of the land and the pressures it faces.
The exhibition is touring Saskatchewan through the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC) Arts on the Move program, with support from the Humboldt Area Arts Council, SaskCulture, Sask Lotteries and the Government of Canada.
