In partnership with Buhler Gallery, St. Boniface Hospital
Running dates: September 11 to October 31, 2020
Celebrated Ojibway artist Norval Morrisseau was born in Fort William, Ontario, in 1932. Raised by his grandparents, he learned at an early age the teachings of his heritage from his grandfather Moses (Potan) Nanakonagos, a Midé shaman. The most widely recognized themes in Morrisseau’s artworks address the oral traditions and teachings of the Midewiwin as seen in petroglyph rock paintings of Northern Ontario. A common theme throughout his entire body of work is the exploration of spirituality, allegory, and representation. Using the narratives of the Ojibwa oral traditions, Morrisseau created a new visual vocabulary that gave many of the teachings of his people an image for the first time. However, traditionally in his culture only the shaman had the right to paint the sacred teachings, and thus his work invited criticism from the elders in his community. Morrisseau maintained that he was a true shaman, because it was the shamans who were the artists of his people:
“I am a shaman-artist… My art speaks and will continue to speak, transcending barriers of nationality, of language and of other forces that may be divisive, fortifying the greatness of spirit that has always been the foundation of the Great Ojibway.”
Morrisseau also explored other themes in his artwork, always dealing with some aspect of his own spirituality. The Christian religious iconography that he became familiar with during his childhood years at St. Joseph Catholic School in Thunder Bay, and his interest in mysticism after his conversion to the Eckankar religion in 1976, are both subjects of his art. After 1957, Morrisseau signed all of his artworks in Cree syllabics using his Ojibway name: Miskwaabik Animiiki, Copper Thunderbird. The Thunderbird and other totemic figures such as the bear, the turtle, and the snake are subjects frequently found in his work. Other common motifs include shamans, plants, animals, ceremonial processes, and spiritual creatures. By using the X-ray style that he is now recognized for, Morrisseau was able to reveal the inner soul of the figures within his paintings.
Each of Morrisseau’s pieces can be viewed as a narrative because his unique vocabulary of symbols and colours has been used to create a visual language. Morrisseau intended his art to convey the spirit of his people:
“My paintings are … icons; that is to say that they are images which help focus on spiritual powers, generated by traditional belief and wisdom… I bring together and promote the ultimate harmony of the physical and spiritual world.”
Morrisseau’s career as an artist spanned many decades, during which time he was awarded numerous accolades: in 1978, Morrisseau was made a member of the Order of Canada, in 1986 he was acknowledged as a Grand Shaman of the Ojibwa, in 1995, he was awarded with the First Nations’ highest honor, the Eagle Feather, and in 2006 he became the first First Nations artist to have been awarded a solo exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada. However, perhaps the most significant achievement of Norval Morrisseau’s career was his ability to communicate through his artwork the richness of the cultural traditions of the Anishinabe.
Running dates of second half of show
October 1 to December 13, 2020
at
Buhler Gallery
St. Boniface Hospital
409 Taché Avenue
The Buhler Gallery is located in St. Boniface Hospital, a centre of healing, and is the first dedicated art gallery of its kind in Canada. St. Boniface Hospital recognizes the benefits of the arts in health and healing, its impact on the fabric of daily life and the community as a whole. By establishing this space, the hospital is enhancing the role of the arts in health and well-being. Open to all patients, visitors, physicians, volunteers and staff since 2007, its goal is to provide an oasis of hope, healing and contemplation by engaging visitors in high quality visual arts programming, music, panel discussions and performances.
For interviews contact:
Leona Herzog -Director/Curator, Buhler Gallery: lherzog@sbgh.mb.ca
Daina Warren- Director, Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art Gallery: daina@urbanshaman.org
——————-French Text———————–
En partenariat avec la Galerie Buhler de l’Hôpital saint-boniface
Artiste : Norval Morrisseau
Titre : Copper Thunderbird (Oiseau-tonnerre decuivre)
Norval Morrisseau, artiste ojibwé de grande renommée, naît en 1932 à Fort William, en Ontario. Élevé par ses grands-parents, il apprend dès son plus jeune âge les enseignements de ces ancêtres auprès de son grand-père Moses (Potan) Nanakonagos, un Midé (chaman). Les thèmes généralement abordés dans les œuvres de Morrisseau portent sur les traditions orales et les enseignements de la Société de la grande médecine Midewiwin, comme ceux illustrés dans les œuvres rupestres du Nord de l’Ontario. La thématique récurrente de l’exploration de la spiritualité, de l’allégorie et de la representation marque l’ensemble de ses œuvres. S’inspirant des récits de la tradition orale ojibwée, Morrisseau crée un nouveau vocabulaire visuel mettant pour la première fois en image les enseignements de son peuple. Toutefois, la tradition de sa culture veut que seul le chaman ait le droit de peindre les enseignements sacrés. Ainsi, son œuvre s’attire les critiques d’aînés de sa communauté. Morrisseau maintient être un véritable chaman, car ce sont les chamans qui étaient les artistes de son peuple :
« Je suis un artiste chaman… Mon art parle et continuera de parler, transcendant les barrières de nationalité, de langue et d’autres forces qui peuvent créer un clivage, amplifiant la grandeur de l’esprit qui a toujours été le fondement du Peuple ojibwé. »
Morrisseau explore aussi d’autres thèmes dans ses œuvres, composant toujours avec des facettes de sa propre spiritualité. L’iconographie chrétienne, avec laquelle il est devenu familier durant son enfance à l’école catholique Saint-Joseph de Thunder Bay, ainsi que son intérêt pour le mysticisme, après sa conversion au mouvement religieux Eckankar, sont représentés dans son art. Après 1957, Morrisseau signe toutes ses œuvres en écriture syllabique crie en utilisant son nom ojibwé, Miskwaabik Animiiki, qui signifie Oiseau-Tonnerre de cuivre. L’oiseau-tonnerre et d’autres figures totémiques, comme l’ours, la tortue et le serpent, sont souvent représentés dans son œuvre. Les autres motifs récurrents incluent les chamans, la flore, la faune, les pratiques cérémonielles et les créatures spirituelles. En utilisant le style radiographique qui le caractérise, Morrisseau réussit à révéler l’âme intérieure des personnages qu’il peint.
Chaque œuvre de Morrisseau peut être vue comme un récit, car son vocabulaire unique formé de symboles et de couleurs est utilisé pour créer un langage visuel. Avec son art, Morrisseau veut véhiculer l’esprit de son peuple : « Mes toiles sont… des icônes; ce sont des images qui aident à se concentrer sur des pouvoirs spirituels issus de la croyance traditionnelle et de la sagesse… Je réunis le monde physique et le monde spirituel et je montre leur union harmonieuse. »
La carrière artistique de Morrisseau s’échelonne sur plusieurs décennies durant lesquelles il reçoit de nombreux honneurs. En 1978, Morrisseau devient membre de l’Ordre du Canada; en 1986, il est reconnu comme un Grand chaman des Ojibwés; en 1995, il mérite le plus grand honneur des Premières Nations, soit la Plume d’aigle; et en 2006, il devient le premier artiste des Premières Nations à qui le Musée des beaux-arts du Canada consacre une exposition solo. Cependant, ce qui reste peut-être la plus grande réussite de la carrière de Norval Morrisseau est sa capacité à transmettre par son œuvre artistique la richesse des traditions culturelles des Anishinabés.