April 10, 2018
The City of Edmonton is pleased to announce Marlena Wyman as Edmonton’s new Historian Laureate.
A third generation prairie woman, born and raised near Rockford, Alberta, Wyman studied visual art, history and education at the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta.
She moved to Edmonton in 1974 and worked as the audio/visual archivist at the Provincial Archives of Alberta for 28 years. In 2011 she received a Historical Recognition Award from the Edmonton Historical Board for her contributions to archives and visual arts.
During her tenure at the Provincial Archives, Wyman spent much of her time researching archival records. What she did not find on record inspires her creative work.
“I found that one of the significant gaps in archival collections is that of women’s history,” Wyman said. “Through my art practice, I will shine some light on those and other lesser known stories in the archives and encourage my fellow Edmontonians to help fill the gaps in our historical record.”
The Edmonton Historical Board welcomed that perspective.
“The Board is delighted to welcome Marlena as Historian Laureate,” said Barbara Hilden, chair of the Edmonton Historical Board. “As an artist and former archivist, Marlena brings a different perspective to the preservation, research and presentation of heritage. We are excited to see her share the stories of some of Edmonton's historically underrepresented citizens.”
Wyman is Edmonton’s fifth Historian Laureate and begins her two-year term on April 11, 2018. During this time at the City of Edmonton Archives, she will be working to share stories that historically have gone untold.
The City of Edmonton became the first municipality in Canada to appoint a Historian Laureate in 2010. The Historian Laureate is the City of Edmonton’s official ambassador on historical matters and promotes the history of Edmonton through several projects throughout the term. The Historian Laureate is selected by a committee comprised of members of the Edmonton Historical Board and the Edmonton Heritage Council.
