Kent Monkman - Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience

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Kent Monkman, "The Scream," 2017

acrylic on canvas. 84" x 132", Collection of Denver Art Museum

Kent Monkman’s Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience was created as a response to Canada 150 sesquicentennial celebrations. Kent Monkman’s gender bending, time travelling alter-ego, Miss Chief Eagle Testickle is the guide on a journey through Canada’s history that starts in the present and takes us back to a hundred and fifty years before Confederation. Miss Chief leads us through the harsh urban environment of Winnipeg’s north end and contemporary life on the reserve, and all the way back to the period of New France and the fur trade, addressing some of the darkest chapters of Canada’s past and narrating a story of Canada through the lens of First Nations’ resilience.

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As both artist and curator of the exhibition, Monkman places his own paintings, drawings and sculptural works in dialogue with historical artifacts and artworks borrowed from museum and private collections from across the country.

Glenbow is pleased to once again present the work of one of Canada’s most acclaimed artists.

In 2010, Glenbow presented the national touring exhibition Kent Monkman: The Triumph of Mischief. It assembled oil paintings, sculptural spaces, objects, films, videos and photography created by Monkman from 2003 to 20010. Powerfully evocative, this exhibition overturned widely ascribed histories of destiny, domination and order.

After the success of this exhibition, Glenbow approached Monkman to create a work of art in response to the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede in 2012. The result was the 2013 exhibition The Big Four. The exhibition’s narrative illuminated the significance of mobility and transportation for Aboriginal peoples while encouraging questions about the disparities that have plagued the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal society throughout our shared history.

This year, as we recognize the 150th anniversary of Canada’s confederation, we’re pleased to present another thought-provoking exhibition by Monkman, Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience. After its much-heralded debut at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto, Glenbow is the exhibition’s first stop on a planned nationwide tour.