Amber Quail: Dakiimi / To have land

Resilience, 2026. Photo: Cate Gransaull | Instagram @c4teg

Amber Smith-Quail
Dakiimi / To have land

September 15 – October 3, 2026
Reception & Artist Talk: Saturday, September 26, 2pm–4pm
The Riverdale Hub Gallery, Toronto

Dakiimi / To have land, is a solo exhibition by Amber Smith-Quail. This immersive show features a series of paintings, sculptures, traditional beadwork, and life-sized installation piece, with an original soundscape. The exhibit coincides with The National Day for Truth & Reconciliation and is part of the Riverdale Hub Gallery’s 2026 exhibition series.

The title, Dakiimi, is an Anishinaabe word which translates to, ‘To have land’. In this exhibition, the iconic board game, Monopoly serves as both the anchor and spark for reflection on land theft and greed. The objective of Monopoly, to acquire all the land and force others into a state of poverty until they are no longer able to participate, draws strong parallels to our shared history. Namely, acts of colonial violence that are rooted in an insatiable appetite for land & natural resources. These ideas are amplified through a vibrant combination of beadwork, mixed media pieces, paintings and soundscape.

Detail from the painting, Dakiimi, 2017-2024

“Iconography in Western culture has been a central theme in my visual arts practice. Familiar household archetypes reimagined through an Indigenous lens invite the viewer to consider alternative truths from those of the dominant culture.”

About the Artist

Amber Smith-Quail (she/her/kwe) is a wife, mother, kokum, aunty, cousin and educator with a BA in English Lit & Theatre, a BEd, and a MEd in Urban Indigenous Education. She is a combination of both a self & community taught visual artist whose practice is based out of Tkaronto and South Algonquin. Amber is of mixed Native & European ancestry and is an off-reserve member of Alderville First Nation. This will be Smith-Quail’s third solo exhibition. Along with her studio practice, Amber is also a founding member of the Dbaajmowin Artist Collective and an Arts & Cultural Advisor at SpruceLab Inc.

For more information about the artist:
www.amberquailart.com | Instagram @ambrrrrrr

The Pines, 2026

About The Riverdale Hub

The Riverdale Hub houses the Free Spirit Cafe, the Riverdale Hub Gallery, unique event and workspaces, community gardens and work-based training programs. Their innovative space has been developed to inspire social entrepreneurship, driving innovation and building community capacity through various initiatives and collaborative opportunities.

The Riverdale Hub
1326 Gerrard Street East
Toronto, ON M4L 1Z1
info@riverdalehub.ca
www.riverdalehub.ca | Instagram @theriverdalehub

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Image Descriptions:
1. Beaded, orange flame shaped medallion edged with white beads. The word, Resilience is comprised of bright yellow beads and there is a braided tan coloured leather lanyard with floor length fringes. The medallion is displayed hanging over the front of a vintage landscape painting that has a small Native settlement in the foreground.
2. The corner of a red square painting with a black and white image of a certificate of Indian status card.
3. Painting of a Canadian soldier and Native protester facing each other. The soldier is painted ‘army man green’ and the protestor is painted ‘warrior red’. They are situated in front of a background of out of focus trees.
3. Sponsor logos. Left side, Canada Council for the Arts. Right side, The Riverdale Hub.