Jim Oskineegish: Keep Yourself Alive

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Jim Oskineegish, “The Power of Soul - Jimi Hendrix,” 2010

acrylic on canvas, 60" x 48" (courtesy of the Ahnisnabae Art Gallery)

Keep Yourself Alive is the debut exhibition by Jim Oskineegish, a second-generation Woodland artist from Eabametoong First Nation (Fort Hope). Curated by Caitlyn Bird, Jim’s paintings fuse personal stories with Woodland, Surrealism, and Pop Art. This exhibition of thirteen portraits is a love letter to his heroes.

In 2010, after a major surgery and a long recovery, Jim experienced painful memories from his childhood, specifically the abuse and trauma he endured as a Sixties Scoop survivor. In his My Hero Series, he portrays his childhood heroes including 1980s rock stars like Jimi Hendrix and Freddie Mercury and movie stars such as Bruce Lee and Chief Dan George. His portraits also pay homage to family and friends, like his late brother, Robert Kowalow. For Jim, these heroes have qualities of strength and bravery and provided comfort and inspiration for keeping yourself alive.

Jim Oskineegish

Jim Oskineegish is an Ojibway artist who is a registered member of the Eabametoong First Nation which is located in Northern Ontario, Canada. Jim paints in the Woodland Style using bold lines and bright colors. He loves to paint legends and stories of his people and hopes that his art can bridge a universal understanding of love, faith, and unity.

Jim has post-secondary instruction in the field of visual arts and has further developed his own unique and distinctive style. If Jim can evoke a response or emotion from the viewer, then he feels that he is successful in the world of contemporary art. While in attendance at Lakehead University, he was awarded the Framing Experience Award during the Lakehead University Juried Student Art Exhibition in 1990-1992. Subsequently, he then was awarded the Thunder Bay Society of Architects Award during the Lakehead University Juried Student Art Exhibition in 1991-1992. Keep Yourself Alive is his first solo exhibition.

Organized and circulated by the Thunder Bay Art Gallery