2167: Indigenous artists to use virtual reality to imagine Canada's future

Six award-winning Indigenousartists and filmmakers are being asked toimagine what Canada might look like in 150 years.

Created by TIFF, imagineNATIVE, Pinnguaq and the Initiative for Indigenous Futures, the2167projectwill use virtual reality toallow Canadians to immerse themselves in a future they might never have imagined.

"For some of the people who maybe their voices have been silenced in the past, we're allowing them to imagine Canada in the future 150 years in the future, through an Indigenous lens," said Nyla Innuksuk,co-founder and producer with Pinnguaq.

Three of the immersiveart installations will premiere at Toronto'sTIFF BellLightbox in June 2017, while the remaining three will be presented in October 2017, during the imagineNATIVEfilm and media festival.

"Obviously with Canada 150 it's a big landmark, but it's something that is a bit controversial among Indigenous people," said Innuksuk.

"A controversial milestone to celebrate."

The four organizations have commissioned work from three filmmakers:AletheaArnaquq-Baril, JeffBarnabyandDanisGoulet;two artists:KentMonkmanandScottBenesiinaabandan;and arts collectivePostcommodity.

Innuksuk said people who go to the installationwill be able to experience it in different ways, usinga VR headset, theirphone or tablet, or online.

Each virtual reality experience will be two to four minutes long.

"The great thing about VR is that it really allows you to give the viewer someone else's perspective, which I think is really interesting for this project in particular."

That's particularly important for this project, since the group says it is rare for science fiction or alternate reality stories to have an Indigenous perspective.

"Often Indigenous people are seen as stuck in the past," said Jason Ryle, artistic director of imagineNATIVE in a news release.

"In a year that in many ways commemorates a very complex history for Indigenous people, this project celebrates the decades to come."