Norval Morrisseau: "Miskwaabik Animiiki / Copper Thunderbird" (Graham Bezant Collection: Toronto Star)
The MacKenzie Art Gallery and Carleton University have launched Norval Morrisseau: Storylines, an interactive online publication dedicated to the life and legacy of the late Anishinaabe painter Norval Morrisseau.
The project celebrates Morrisseau's contributions to Canadian art and Indigenous cultural heritage. “Renowned as the mishomis (grandfather) of a new artistic movement within Indigenous contemporary art, Morrisseau challenged the Canadian art establishment to embrace discourse related to Indigenous aesthetics and spirituality, leaving a lasting mark on generations of Indigenous artists,” according to the news release.
“For the past four years, the Morrisseau Project: 1955-1985 team — based out of Carleton University and comprised of a diverse group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts and partner institutions — has diligently worked to create the first full scholarly study assessing Morrisseau's achievements.
The project includes heritage materials from public institutions and private collections, some of which have never been shared publicly. All are now available online for free.
“Despite his monumental influence on Canadian art history, this project is the first comprehensive account of Morrisseau's life and art,” according to the release.
Source: MacKenzie Art Gallery