Drawing primarily on the teachings of her maternal grandfather of Anishinaabe and Irish descent, Jobena Petonoquot’s practice emphasizes the resilience and pride of her Indigenous dentity, as well as the defense of traditional values. Using beadwork and photography, she creates narrative works that take a critical and sensitive look at Canada’s colonial history, while highlighting the beauty of her culture and her love of the land.
Born in Kitigan Zibi of Anishinaabe and Irish descent, Jobena Petonoquot lives and works in Montreal. She earned a bachelor’s degree in art history with a minor in photography from Concordia University in 2011 and has been pursuing a master’s degree in fiber and material practices at Concordia since 2022. Her work has been featured in exhibitions and events across Quebec, Canada and the United States. She also took part in the Walking With Our Sisters project, which commemorated the lives of missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada. In 2018, she won the Empreintes residency at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Her work can be found in the following collections:
Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec
Native Art Centre
McMichael Canadian Art Collection
The Ottawa Art Gallery
Global Affairs Canada
As well as many private collections
