It’s not Just Water—a creative approach to exploring water and justice

“Embedded in Indigenous worldviews, water is sacred, the waterways are like mother earth’s veins, the lifeblood of our existence, sustaining and nurturing life. Envisioning a future for the earth’s waterways as a person has compelled me to personify water, give it shape and cast it as a character in ways that can acknowledge our relationship with these waterways. Nibi in Anishinaabe/Ojibwe translates to water.” – Jaimie Isaac, Artist-in-residence, Just Waters project

The Just Waters project is a research initiative, funded by UM’s Ignite program and supported by the Centre for Human Rights Research (CHRR). It brings together researchers from seven faculties and 10 departments, spanning the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities.

Jaimie Isaac, an accomplished artist, curator and scholar, is a member of Sagkeeng First Nation on Treaty 1 Territory with mixed Anishinaabe and British heritage. Currently serving as an artist-in-residence with the “Just Waters” project, Isaac pursues her creative work while offering workshops and research participation.

Led by Dr. Adele Perry, Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Arts, the project focuses on three key areas:

• Climate change and water
• Indigenous peoples and water (in)justice
• Histories and futures of water

In collaboration with various research centers and organizations, “Just Waters” is advancing water research through advocacy, knowledge mobilization, policy recommendations and nurturing related interdisciplinary projects.

Jaimie Isaac, Artist-in-residence, Just Waters project

Art as a tool for understanding water justice

As artist-in-residence, Isaac’s goal is to explore the question “What if the river was a person?” through her creative project “Nibi”. By using existing film, audio and projection, her work proposes the concept of the Red River and Lake Winnipeg gaining personhood, amplifying the efforts of those who have long advocated for these waterways. At its core, the project reflects a collective belief that water is sacred.

Her interdisciplinary approach also includes screen printing film stills onto nautical cloth, capturing various forms of water and waterways—bringing a unique artistic approach that invites reflection on our relationship with water.

Curatorial expertise and global impact

Isaac’s extensive curatorial experience includes leadership roles at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. She holds a degree in Art History from the University of Winnipeg and a Master of Arts from the University of British Columbia, where her studies focused on decolonizing gallery and museum practices.

Isaac’s expertise as a curator and lecturer has taken her around the world, including Norway, Finland, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Chicago and New York. Through mediums including film and public art to installations and mixed media, her work focuses on areas of Reconciliation, decolonization, Indigenous feminism, environmental justice and cultural resurgence.

Creative ways to engage with water research

On March 26, Isaac is hosting an Action through Artwork workshop on the Fort Garry campus, where participants will learn about the Lake Winnipeg watershed and screen print images onto silk canvases. The canvases will be sewn together to create a larger art piece. You can secure your spot in the workshop and learn more on the workshop registration page.

The dialogue continues March 27—Join CHRR’s Critical Conversations Speaker Series for a free evening event at WAG-Qaumajuq. Dr. Jeffrey Ansloos, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto and citizen of Fisher River Cree Nation, will join Media Indigena’s Rick Harp to discuss the mental health implications for communities whose connections to water are disrupted.

To learn more about Isaac’s work and how to get involved with the Just Waters project, visit the CHRR website and follow them on Instagram for updates on upcoming events and workshops.

Jessica Tapatai