![]() His ability to shatter societal, sexual, and commonly held stereotypes exemplifies the perseverance and power that countless Indigenous peoples experience. Today, we can see Morrisseau’s legacy recognized on the global stage as a renowned artist, a revolutionary, and Indigenous icon. Morrisseau’s contributions led to his recognition as the grandfather of contemporary Indigenous art in North America. He was an original member of the Indian Group of Seven-a group dedicated to uplifting the next generations of Indigenous artists. Morrisseau also leveraged his growing influence to advocate and support emerging First Nations artists, such as Daphne Odjig and Roy Thomas. ![]() Some of his notable paintings include Moose Dream Legend (1962), Conquest of the Thunderbird (1982), Androgyny (1983), and Observations of the Astral World (1994). Over his multi-decade career, Morrisseau’s artwork was featured in exhibits across Canada, Europe and the world. His path to success has not been simple - Morrisseau’s artwork has unfortunately been the subject of ongoing art fraud and plagiarism cases, as many sought to capitalize on the value earned through his unique style. Morrisseau’s work represented a unique intersection between traditional Indigenous imagery and modern art styles. His art style became known as Woodland painting, combining rich colors, birch-bark scroll etchings and, oftentimes, skeletal animals and people. In 1962, he hosted an exhibit at the Pollock Gallery in Toronto, marking his official debut to the art world and the first time an Indigenous artist was featured in a major contemporary art gallery in Canada. His grandfather, a Shaman trained within the Midewiwin spiritual tradition, had introduced Morrisseau to shamanism and passed down the stories and legends of the Ojibwa people.Īs Morrisseau entered adulthood, he began exploring ways to incorporate Anishinabek oral traditions and imagery through his artwork. Despite the trauma and hardships he experienced in his youth, Morrisseau was fueled by his desire to preserve his people’s traditions. At the age of six, Morriseau was forced to leave his home and attend residential school-a place where traditional Native ceremonies were banned and speaking traditional languages was forbidden. He was raised by his maternal grandparents, who helped instill his pride for Anishinaabe culture and traditions. Norval Morriseau-whose Ojibwa name was Copper Thunderbird-was born on the Sand Point Ojibwa reserve in Ontario, Canada, on March 14, 1932. Today, on Canada’s National Indigenous Peoples Day, we honor Morrisseau and his paintings that beautifully captured the stories of Indigenous tradition. Morrisseau is widely considered the grandfather of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada, and his work paved the way for the emergence of Indigenous artwork in mainstream galleries. Today’s Doodle-illustrated by Anishinaabe guest artists Blake Angeconeb and Danielle Morrison-celebrates Norval Morrisseau (Copper Thunderbird), an Indigenous Canadian artist from the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation.
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