Culture

Iconic Canadian painter Norval Morrisseau dies at 75

by Jarrett Martineau | December 5, 2007 at 12:01 pm

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A former roommate of mine re-introduced me to the work of the great Aboriginal artist Norval Morrisseau. One of his paintings was hung prominently in our apartment and I
spent many hours lost in contemplation of its compelling mix of vibrant
colours and reworked Anishinabe iconography.

Even if you don't know his name, you would likely recognize one of his paintings, as Morrisseau had one of the most recognizable visual styles of any Canadian artist.

As a writer on CoghlanArt.com suggests: "His work invokes our memories of childlike simplicity. His colors effect us in ways that are not immediately apparent. His visions, like ancient taboos that have turned into dreams of the future, come to life on canvas and paper. They are talismans of the future and images of respect of the past."

He will be missed.

Norval Morrisseau, one of Canada's foremost aboriginal artists and the founder of the Woodland style of painting, has died.

Norval Morrisseau was dubbed the 'Picasso of the North' for his striking style, as shown in this 1990 work titled Thunderbird Shaman Teaching People.

The Ojibwa shaman and self-taught artist who grew up in northwestern Ontario passed away early Tuesday morning in Toronto General Hospital after years of suffering from advanced Parkinson's disease. He was 75.

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Kaitlin

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:02 on December 5th, 2007

Jarrett Martineau, thank you for posting this. I had a relative with a Morrisseau, and I was always a bit stupefied by it as a kid...and then enthralled as an adult. Beautiful stuff that's emblematic of Canada's past colliding with its future.

Good stuff.