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Contemporary Art Practice and Indigenous Knowledge

  • Gerald McMaster EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: June 6, 2020
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Abstract

Indigenous artists are introducing traditional knowledge practices to the contemporary art world. This article discusses the work of selected Indigenous artists and relays their contribution towards changing art discourses and understandings of Indigenous knowledge. Anishinaabe artist Norval Morrisseau led the way by introducing ancient mythos; the gifted Carl Beam enlarged his oeuvre with ancient building practices; Peter Clair connected traditional Mi'kmaq craft and colonial influence in contemporary basketry; and Edward Poitras brought to life the cultural hero Coyote. More recently, Beau Dick has surprised international art audiences with his masks; Christi Belcourt’s studies of medicinal plants take on new meaning in paintings; Bonnie Devine creates stories around canoes and baskets; Adrian Stimson performs the trickster/ruse myth in the guise of a two-spirited character; and Lisa Myers’s work with the communal sharing of food typifies a younger generation of artists re-engaging with traditional knowledge.


Corresponding author: Prof. Dr. Gerald McMaster, Wapatah Centre for Indigenous Visual Knowledge, Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto, Canada

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Published Online: 2020-06-06
Published in Print: 2020-06-25

©2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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