Alex Janvier: Modern Indigenous Master

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Alex Janvier, "Untitled," 1986

National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (42867) © Alex Janvier. Photo: NGC

“Art truly is a universal language that can communicate any idea, any feeling, of anyone, regardless of their social standing, their religious beliefs or the language they speak." - Alex Janvier

This major retrospective, organized by the National Gallery of Canada, spans the entirety of Alex Janvier’s 65-plus year career. The exhibition features more than 150 artworks showing the evolution of Janvier’s unique vision. Rooted in the geocultural landscape of his northern Alberta home, Janvier’s works on paper, canvas and linen combine Dene iconography with Western abstract art styles and techniques. 

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“His paintings tell the story of his experiences, as a boy in residential school, through learning about art as a student, to the many years of working as a professional artist putting his work out there for all to see. And, over those many years, conveying what it means to be an Indigenous person in a country that, for a long time, sought only to eradicate any sense of self-identification or connection to one’s Indigeneity. Viewers connect to the beauty and truth about humanity that comes through the paintings.”- Greg Hill, Audain Senior Curator of Indigenous Art, National Gallery of Canada