Nahanni McKay: Spirit 2026

Nahanni McKay’s photograph Spirit critiques the colonial foundations of Canada’s national park system and its ongoing impact on Indigenous lands and wildlife. A young Métis photographer from Banff, McKay works within a wildlife corridor, arranging the skulls of deer, cougars, and bears to honour their presence and the lives taken within these contested spaces. Through this evocative composition, she calls attention to how tourism and park policy have long overshadowed Indigenous relationships to land, while affirming the necessity of Indigenous knowledge in restoring balance, care, and respect for the beings who share these territories. Organized by the Art Gallery of Alberta. Curated by Alaynee Goodwill-Littlechild