Still Here: Preserving Our Legacy is a multimedia exhibition celebrating Black families whose histories in New Brunswick stretch back to the 1700s. The exhibition explores themes of heritage, community, resilience, and identity through intergenerational family stories.
Developed by The Still Here Initiative: comprised of artists Thandiwe McCarthy and Gary Weekes accompanied by Historian and Elder Dr Mary McCarthy and Administrator & Financial Coordinator Jeannie Rediker, Still Here traces the histories of fifteen families whose ancestors have called this province home for centuries. Combining archival research, oral histories, poetry, and photography, the exhibition offers a powerful and personal reflection on Black history in New Brunswick.
Featuring a mirrored centrepiece of contemporary portraits; enveloped within hundreds of documentary-style images. Still Here invites viewers to see themselves within the work and consider their own place within Canada's evolving collective story. This immersive experience creates a dialogue between past and present.
For each family featured, Thandiwe McCarthy has composed an original poem weaving historical memory into verse, while Gary Weekes' photographs honour the legacy of these families.
The exhibition is accompanied by their art history book entitled Still Here: Preserving Our Legacy, published by Goose Lane Editions, combining historical documents, first-person narratives, poetry, and photography. The book is available through the Beaverbrook Boutique.
Image: Halfkenny Family Group Portrait by Gary Weeks
