The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation:

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House to recognize a Mi’kmaw artist from our province, whose work has been selected by one of the most prestigious institutions in the United States.

Nelson White’s oil painting ‘Veteran Elder’, depicting an Indigenous elder and American veteran saluting, will soon be on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. This museum is home to one of the world’s most expansive collections of Indigenous artifacts, including objects, photographs, archives, and media covering the entire Western Hemisphere.

A member of the Flat Bay First Nation Band, Nelson White’s work has been exhibited throughout Canada and the United States in both group and solo shows. A longtime artist and illustrator, he became The Rooms’ first Indigenous artist-in-residence in January 2019, creating a series of paintings that examine the theme of identity throughout Indigenous culture.

Mr. Speaker, Nelson White’s ‘Veteran Elder’ has been sent to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, and will be unveiled to the public in the coming months.

I ask all Honourable members to join me in congratulating Mr. White on this fabulous recognition, and for his continued voice around Indigenous identity in our province and country.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.