Byron Samson (Mistikonapew): Place of Honour

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AGA, " Byron Samson (Mistikonapew): Place of Honour," 2022

The AGA special Members’ Preview will feature remarks from  Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, AGA Adjunct Curator of Indigenous Art MJ Belcourt Moses and Executive Director Catherine Crowston at 6:20pm. The public  will have access to the opening  from  7:30 to 9:30pm. 

Byron Samson (Mistikonapew): Place of Honour

In Treaty 6, present and past there are ones among us who’ve humbly served by taking on responsibilities to care for the wellbeing of others thus becoming leaders. These ones have made a difference in our lives. Some by impacting the past and others by influencing our present future. 

With skilled expertise, portrait artist Byron Samson (Mistikonapew) created a body of work featuring several leaders who we acknowledge by giving them a place of honour in our communities and in our hearts. 

Organized by the Art Gallery of Alberta and curated by MJ Belcourt Moses. The RBC New Works Gallery features new artworks by Alberta artists and continues the Art Gallery of Alberta’s tradition of supporting and promoting Alberta artists.

Byron Samson (Mistikonapew)

Byron Samson was born in Wetaskiwin, Alberta and raised in Samson First Nation, Maskwacis, Alberta.  Since grade school he has had an affinity for drawing.  During his senior year of high school, his teacher turned him to realism. He was both fascinated and frustrated by the complexity and beauty of mastering realism in portraiture.  Since then, he has strived to achieve the level of skill that he has attained and continues to create portraits for friends, family, and commissioned work.

He signs with his given name, Mistikonapew (miss-stick-ōh-nah-pay-yô) the Cree name given to him by his Mosom (grandfather).  As far back as he can remember his mosom always pushed a little harder than the rest of his family to support Byron in his art.  He would randomly buy him paints and sketchbooks, and even bought his first drafting table for Christmas.  To honour his mosom, he signs every piece of work with the name his mosom chose for him. Soon he plans to change his name to his Cree name Mistikonapew legally.