Heidi McKenzie: Crescent Moon

Crescent Moon is a remarkable ceramic sculpture featured in Heidi McKenzie's Gallery 1C03 exhibition Reclaimed: Indo-Caribbean HerStories. 

This sculpture takes inspiration from some of the traditional jewelry worn during indentureship by Indo-Caribbean women of Muslim heritage, which is Heidi's father's heritage. McKenzie is an anglicization/simplification of her family's original name, which was likely Makhanjee. Wearing jewelry served to establish status as it symbolized a transformation of people's indentured labour to visible wealth. Coins, boxes, and other design elements such as the Islamic crescent moon endured, while local variations incorporated Caribbean aesthetics.

Heidi McKenzie created Crescent Moon to connect her to this tradition of Indo-Caribbean indentureship jewelry in the absence of having actual inherited jewelry. Importantly, her sculpture also creates space for a wide audience of people who see it to learn about and reflect upon this history and creative innovation.

Gallery 1C03 is raising funds to purchase this outstanding sculpture for the University's permanent art collection so that we can display it on campus for all to appreciate for years to come. If you would like to contribute towards the purchase of this artwork, donations may be made through the University of Winnipeg Foundation website -- select the fund keywords "art collection".  Alternately you may contact Gallery Director/Curator Jennifer Gibson. Donors will receive a charitable tax receipt for their gift.