Published on April 6, 2025 by Alexis Nanibush-Pamajewong, Coordinator, Indigenous Public Arts Programming | Evergreen
Even amidst the hustle and bustle of city streets, battling light pollution, the stars above us are telling stories.
Quinn Hopkins’s Stellar Narratives: An Urban Indigenous Odyssey brings Anishinaabe stories, constellations, and moon cycles to life in a fusion of vibrant mural art and augmented reality at Evergreen Brick Works.
Alongside the exciting news that Stellar Narratives will remain on display at the Brick Works, Hopkins shares some insight behind the project’s creation process and a few behind-the-scenes snaps with curator Alexis Nanibush-Pamajewong.
Photo credit: Ibrahim Abusitta
Alexis Nanibush-Pamajewong: What is Stellar Narratives and what has this project meant to you?
Quinn Hopkins: This project is a fusion of technology, culture and people that evolves through time, similar to our Anishinaabe stories. We tell stories of prophecies, sacred fires, plagues, famine, prosperity and resilience. These stories come from the land and the sky, just like us. I wanted to create a connection point here at Evergreen Brick Works that brings the night sky down to Earth through technology. Two 64-square-foot murals are enhanced with an interactive, extended reality (XR) web application that allows viewers to explore the Anishinaabe constellations and moons during different parts of the year.
As a mixed and urban Indigenous person, I have taken comfort in the stories and an interest in the stars because of the city’s ability to sever people from the land and sky. What this project has meant to me is to inspire people to look up with curiosity. Many cultures looked up to the same stars we do and crafted stories of the people and land. This project allows me to share some of these Anishinaabe figures seen in the night sky so that even in the city, where the stars are dim, people can stargaze and experience the joy of finding constellations.
ANP: Can you describe how the integration of XR in your work enhances the storytelling experience for viewers?
QH: XR is a smart overlay of computer graphics on your device’s camera. These graphics are targeting the murals and creating a 3D effect that is interactive. The static images of the mural are activated and brought into this digital space in between the viewer and the art. As the viewer interacts with the XR they can explore the night sky during different times of the year as well as use this new digital dimension to step into the stars and use their curiosity to understand this yearly cycle. Integrating XR into my work has always been about bringing out the unseen and sharing a different perspective. What I love about XR is that it requires the viewer to intentionally give their attention and participation into experiencing the work. Similar to traditions of oral storytelling, the experience asks the viewer to participate in the story by listening.
ANP: Stellar means relating to the stars; can you speak to your connection to stars and research for this project?
QH: Yes, I have always been a science fiction fan and an avid stargazer. Both are different facets of my being. Growing up in the Greater Toronto Area but also spending many parts of the year out in rural Northern Ontario, I had a heightened awareness of the effects of light pollution and smog. I felt like the concrete beneath my feet was another way they disconnected us from the land. I have memories of my grandma taking me to Batchewana as a young boy. We would go visit the Agawa Canyon Pictographs, and that is where I learned my first star teaching. I asked my Gramma, what is that? Pointing at a cat-like painting on the rock. She wasn’t quite sure, but she knew it’s name, Mishi Bizhoo, the Great Lynx. An older man with a heavy northern accent heard us say it and said:
“You be careful saying that around here. The Great Lynx lives deep in the waters of Lake Superior, and when he is angry the waters become really rough. During the spring he is above us in the sky, and we don’t say his name then because that is when the water is most dangerous.”
He was talking about what Westerners call the Leo Constellation. For this project, I found multiple well-researched books and blogposts from Ojibwe people and scholars about the stars and constellations, then I went to my peers and knowledge keepers, Aylan Couchie and Nyle Miigizi Johnston. I learned of Gaa-Biboonikaan, Naniboozhoo and the Mooz constellations. These constellations tell us of changing seasons, when to move to sugarbush, pick berries, harvest the Mooz and tell stories.
ANP: You have painted murals in the past. How was this project like the ones in the past? Or how might it have been different?
QH: For this project, I had the XR concept derived first, and then I had to explore the image target imagery for the murals. My process changed because I did not want to use spray paints in the heritage building at the Brick Works. The space was also being used as a flex classroom, and I did not want the paintings to be emitting harsh gases. The metal paints were harder to work with than I expected, but with some experimenting and playfulness, I created these two pieces.
ANP: What have been some of your favourite moments or aspects of the creative process for this project? Are there any areas or ideas you would like to explore further in the future?
QH: I really loved building the interactive XR. I have many more ideas to explore how to create more immersive experiences and enhance the storytelling. This work unlocked a passion in me for creating interactive art that I want to explore beyond XR too.
Learn more
Public Art at Evergreen is truly honoured to work with Quinn Hopkins on this incredible project, and we are thrilled to share that Stellar Narratives will continue to shine in Koerner Gardens beyond June 2025. You can experience this captivating work every Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We invite you to immerse yourself in the augmented reality, discover the teachings of Anishinaabe culture, listen to the essay, and spend time connecting with the sky world.
