'A message of hope and resiliency': Residential school survivors exhibition at Kingsway Mall

Survivor Portraits exhibition at Kingsway Mall on Wednesday Sept. 25, 2024. (Cam Wiebe/CTV News Edmonton)

An art exhibition at Kingsway Mall is showcasing the strength of residential school survivors ahead of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The exhibition, Survivor Portraits, was done by photographer Damian Abrahams of Indigital Media.

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It contains portraits of residential school survivors along with their stories.

"The aim of the exhibit was to show non-Indigenous patrons that residential schools are not a part of Canada’s ancient history and that survivors are still with us, thriving, and contributing to their families, communities, and nations," Abrahams wrote on his website.

The exhibit also aims to highlight 'a message of hope and resiliency,' according to Bo Tarasenko, the marketing manager for Kingsway Mall.

"When people come in and visit the exhibit, I think what they'll be surprised by is the resiliency and how the stories all kind of end in a positive way," Tarasenko said.

"There is a dark side to this history … but these survivors here in these photographs have really found a way to turn that around, have risen above that dark past, and are passionate about contributing back to their community and finding ways to, you know, give back and thrive."

The exhibition runs until Oct 6. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is on Sept. 30.