Guest blog written by 2017 Environmental Visual Communication student Rachel Brown

Kim Wheatley is an Anishinaabe mother and grandmother of the Shawanaga First Nation. Read this blog to hear the story of how EVC student Rachel Brown met Kim at the ROM, where she offered a traditional prayer and blessing for the bones and heart of ‘Blue,’ the whale - the star of Out of the Depths: The Blue Whale Story.

This Sunday, October 18 at 12:30 pm, join a panel of leading Canadian cultural critics as they explore the historical and contemporary constraints that can and have shaped Black female identity in Canada. This event is an opportunity to engage in conversations with leading experts to rethink critically the way history is told and understood not only in the media, but also in the museum itself.

Women have grown, groomed and decorated their fingernails for over 5000 years – From the women of Ancient Egypt to the nail salon industry that flourished during the 80s and 90s, nail trends have had authority over beauty regimes across regions and eras. By the late 20th century manicured fingernails would become a sign of the leisure class among many different cultures.  Grooming your fingernails parallels the act of using cosmetics, it exhibits self-expression and character.