Last November, artist D. Ahsén:nase Douglas, YRDSB Indigenous Artist in Residence, was contacted by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) who were interested in one of his works. The painting titled Unmarked, was one he had created years earlier, and reflected his feelings after the first announcement of unmarked graves of Indigenous children found on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.
The piece reflects loss of culture, language and of children, while also acknowledging the complicated mourning many Indigenous people feel as more graves continue to be confirmed across Canada.
"Unmarked depicts the loss of culture, language and of course children through the historical implementation of the Residential School system in Canada," said Douglas. "It was created as a reflection of my own feelings of sadness resulting from this loss.”
In late November 2025, after agreements were finalized, Douglas shipped the painting to the NCTR. It won’t be available to the public immediately as the Centre is building a new home, a space where works like Unmarked will be displayed for education and reflection.
For Douglas, having Unmarked selected by the NCTR is deeply meaningful.
“It’s probably the biggest honour of my life to date,” said Douglas. “It recognizes my work, but more importantly, it allows me to contribute to the continued good work of the NCTR in the way of education.”
YRDSB schools across the region have benefitted from Douglas' incredible talents for many years as he has provided learning and mentorship to students of all ages in his role as Indigenous Artist in Residence. Over the past 12 years, Douglas has worked with students and staff to create over 50 art installations in YRDSB schools. His dedication to sharing Indigenous ways of knowing and learning and sparking artistic creativity in students has been felt by so many across York Region.
In 2021, Douglas also shared learning with the entire YRDSB community by supporting a social media initiative held during Indigenous Peoples Month, which focused on sharing Mohawk language learning.
Photo Credit: D. Ahsén:nase Douglas