Duane Linklater: mymothersside

October 7, 2023–February 25, 2024

For over a decade, Duane Linklater has been making art that interrogates the construct of museums, their conventions, and their historical exclusion of Indigenous people and content. Working across a range of media—including painting, sculpture, and video—he addresses the contradictions of contemporary Indigenous life within settler systems of knowledge, representation, and value. Duane Linklater: mymothersside is the artist’s first major survey exhibition.

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  • Three pieces of fabric hang on white walls, two of which drape onto the floor. Two pieces of fabric are also arranged on the floor. The canvas is dyed in light and dark brown, red, green and pink shades and is painted with gray floral motifs.

    Duane Linklater: can the circle be unbroken 1, can the circle be unbroken 2, can the circle be unbroken 3, can the circle be unbroken 4, can the circle be unbroken 5, 2019; digital print on hand-dyed linen (black tea, sumac, charcoal, cup-and-saucer ochre, iron-red pigment, dandelion, cypress-yellow ochre, blueberry extract, black-walnut, nails; dimensions variable; Collection SFMOMA, Accessions Committee Fund purchase Commissioned by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Photo: Jueqian Fang.

  • Eleven poles extending from separate points on a white wall are joined together at opposite ends to form a cone shape. A large semi-circular piece of brown cloth hangs from the joined poles and gathers on the floor.

    Duane Linklater: dislodgevanishskinground, 2015; twelve painted tepee poles, steel cable, charcoal, rope, digital print on linen (black tea, blueberry extract, sumac, charcoal); 220 x 174 x 174 in.; courtesy Catriona Jeffries, Vancouver. Photo: Jueqian Fang.

  • A half circle of canvas hung on a white wall extending onto a wood floor where there is another quarter-circle of fabric. The canvas is dyed in light and dark brown shades and has gray floral motifs.

    Duane Linklater: can the circle be unbroken 3 (left), can the circle be unbroken 5 (right), 2019; digital print on linen with black-walnut and iron-red and black-walnut dyes, cypress-yellow ochre, black tea, charcoal; dimensions variable; collection SFMOMA, Accessions Committee Fund purchase Commissioned by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Photo: Jueqian Fang.

  • A white bench in front of an image projected on a white wall. The projection shows a skinned animal sitting on snowy ground. A figure to the left of the image and a partial figure on the right hold the carcass as they butcher it.

    Duane Linklater: Modest Livelihood, 2012; Super 16mm film, transferred to blu-ray; 50 minutes; Courtesy Catriona Jeffries, Vancouver Photo: Jueqian Fang.

  • A banner made of eight smaller pieces of pink and ivory fabric printed with photographs, text, and other images, hangs on a white wall.

    Duane Linklater: boys don’t cry, 2017; digital prints on hand-dyed linen; 122 13/16 x 172 13/16 in. (overall); Collection Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. Purchase, with funds from the Dr. Michael Braudo Canadian Contemporary Art Fund and the Art Toronto 2019 Opening Night Preview, 2019, 2019/2305. Photo: Dennis Ha, courtesy Catriona Jeffries, Vancouver.

  • Two white objects that look like a mask and a head with a birds beak sit on a dark mirrored surface.

    UMFA1981.016.002, UMFA1981.016.001 [Kwakiutl Chief's Mask]; 2015; two natural ABS 3D prints, mirrored tables; dimensions variable; purchased with funds from The Phyllis Cannon Wattis Endowment Fund, from the Permanent Collection of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts at the University of Utah. Photo: Hong Cheolki/Seoul Museum of Art, courtesy Catriona Jeffries, Vancouver.

  • Upcoming
    Films
  • Upcoming
    Events
  • Selected
    Objects
  • Past
    Films
  • Past
    Events

Upcoming Events

  • Two white objects that look like a mask and a head with a birds beak sit on a dark mirrored surface.
    Friday, October 6, 11 AM–7 PM

    Preview Day: Duane Linklater: mymothersside

    Member-exclusive preview day of Duane Linklater: mymothersside

    BAMPFA

    For BAMPFA members and UC Berkeley students, faculty, and staff.

  • A white bench in front of an image projected on a white wall. The projection shows a skinned animal sitting on snowy ground. A figure to the left of the image and a partial figure on the right hold the carcass as they butcher it.
    Saturday, October 7, 11 AM–7 PM

    Free Community Day: Duane Linklater: mymothersside

    Celebrate the opening of Duane Linklater: mymothersside with free gallery admission to the public on Saturday, October 7, from 11 AM to 7 PM.

    BAMPFA
  • Three pieces of fabric hang on white walls, two of which drape onto the floor. Two pieces of fabric are also arranged on the floor. The canvas is dyed in light and dark brown, red, green and pink shades and is painted with gray floral motifs.
    Saturday, October 7, 11:30 AM–1:30 PM

    Art Making for All Ages

    Drop in and make art inspired by Duane Linklater: mymothersside with local artists. Materials will be provided.

    BAMPFA
  • Eleven poles extending from separate points on a white wall are joined together at opposite ends to form a cone shape. A large semi-circular piece of brown cloth hangs from the joined poles and gathers on the floor.
    Saturday, October 7, 2 PM; Wednesday, October 11, 12:15 PM

    Curator’s Walk-Through: Victoria Sung on Duane Linklater: mymothersside

    Join Phyllis C. Wattis Senior Curator Victoria Sung for a guided tour of Duane Linklater: mymothersside to learn about the artist’s multifaceted process of research and making, from 3D printing to using natural dyes like blueberry extract, dandelion, and charcoal.

    BAMPFA
  • A banner made of eight smaller pieces of pink and ivory fabric printed with photographs, text, and other images, hangs on a white wall.
    Select Wednesdays and Sundays

    Guided Tour: Duane Linklater: mymothersside

    Exhibition tours of Duane Linklater: mymothersside are led by UC Berkeley graduate students in the Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies and Ethnic Studies Departments, on selected Wednesdays at 12:15 PM and Sundays at 2 PM.

    BAMPFA
  • Wednesday, November 1–Saturday, November 4

    Ewako ôma askiy. This then is the earth.

    A series of open rehearsals with dance artists Ivanie Aubin-Malo and Ceinwen Gobert, led by artist/choreographer Tanya Lukin Linklater, these sessions respond to the cyclical, seasonal, affective, and formal qualities of selected works in Duane Linklater: mymothersside.

    BAMPFA

    Cosponsored by the Art Research Center

  • Three pieces of fabric hang on white walls, two of which drape onto the floor. Two pieces of fabric are also arranged on the floor. The canvas is dyed in light and dark brown, red, green and pink shades and is painted with gray floral motifs.
    Saturday, December 2, 1:30 PM

    American Sign Language Guided Tour of Duane Linklater: mymothersside

    Patricia Lessard offers American Sign Language interpretation for a graduate student–led tour of the exhibition. All visitors are welcome.

    BAMPFA
  • A half circle of canvas hung on a white wall extending onto a wood floor where there is another quarter-circle of fabric. The canvas is dyed in light and dark brown shades and has gray floral motifs.
    Saturday, January 27, 3 PM

    Duane Linklater: mymothersside Roundtable on Indigenous Knowledge

    Join us for a roundtable conversation on the occasion of the exhibition Duane Linklater: mymothersside focusing on Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing that inform the artist’s practice. The discussion explores topics such as language revitalization, basket weaving, and food sovereignty.

    BAMPFA