Eruoma Awashish | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1980 (age 44–45) Opitciwan, Quebec, Canada |
| Alma mater | Université du Québec à Chicoutimi |
Eruoma Awashish (born 1980) is an Atikamekw visual artist from Quebec.
Awashish was born to a Quebecois mother and Atikamekw father. [1] She was born and grew up in Opitciwan, a small community near the Gouin Reservoir in northern Quebec. [1] [2]
Awashish attended the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, where she earned a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary art. [3]
Awashish had her first solo exhibition, entitled Reliques et passages, in 2015 at the Canadian Guild of Crafts in Montreal. [1] She also began printing some of her art on t-shirts, as a way to make her art both more accessible to her community and as a way to make a living. [1] The exhibition was revived in Lachine in 2023. [4]
In 2020, Awashish was commissioned to paint a mural at the Musée d’art de Joliette in honor of Joyce Echaquan and her family. [5] [6] Awashish has also painted a portrait of Echaquan, which has been used in relation with demands to reform Quebec's healthcare system to better care for indigenous patients. [6]
In her March 2024 exhibition, Kakike Ickote – Feu éternel, Awashish explored the impact of Catholicism on First Nations communities, reappropriating Catholic iconography and symbols for a First Nations context. [7]
In 2025, Awashish became the first First Nations artist to be a finalist for the MNBAQ Contemporary Art Award. [8]
From June to October 2023, Awashish was included in the public art exhibition PASSAGES INSOLITES in Quebec. [9]
From January to March 2025, Les Fabuloscopes, a piece by Awashish and La Camaraderie, was installed as part of Lumino, a series of outdoor art exhibits in Montreal. [10]
Awashish is one of several Atikamekw artists who are creating artwork for a new federal building in Shawinigan. [11]
Awashish is based out of Pekuakami (Lac-Saint-Jean) as of 2025. [2] She has one daughter. [2]