A new exhibit is opening at the Winnipeg Art Gallery -- one director and CEO Dr. Stephen Borys says will change the gallery forever.

Insurgence/Resurgence, the WAG's largest-ever display of contemporary Indigenous art opens tonight at 7:00 with a free celebration. The exhibit covers more than 17,000 square feet and features work from 29 Indigenous artists.

The show is curated by Dr. Julie Nagam and Jaimie Isaac. Dr. Nagam says they were excited in exploring traditional ideas moving into contemporary ideas, and they want to show that Indigenous artists are contemporary.

"I mean if you look at the example of Barry Ace's work that greats you right at the top of the stairs, you know, it looks like traditional regalia and you get the illusion that it's something from the past. But when you actually go up close to look at it, you can actually see he's beaded with electronic pieces and circuit boards and technology," says Dr. Nagam.

A variety of art media has been used in the show, from sound installation to painting to fashion. For tonight and tomorrow only, there will be live tattoo demonstrations; Jordan Bennett of Earthline Tattoo Collective was giving Dr. Nagam a tattoo this morning; he says the methods they're using are hand-poke and skin-stitch.

"(Tattooing) is something that was taken away from us through the force of colonization. As Indigenous tattoo practitioners, we're really trying to make it visible again," says Bennett.

Indigenous curatorial practices were used in the creation of Insurgence/Resurgence. The exhibition runs until April 2018, with changing monthly themes.