Norval Morrisseau

Morrisseau, Norval
Norval Morrisseau, artist (b at Sand Point Reserve, near Beardmore, Ont 14 Mar 1932; d at Toronto 4 Dec 2007). Norval Morrisseau was a self-taught artist of OJIBWA ancestry (his Ojibwa name, which appears in syllabics on his paintings, means "Copper Thunderbird") and he originated the pictographic style, or what is referred to as "Woodland Indian art,""legend painting" or "x-ray art." This style is a fusion of European easel painting with Ojibwa MIDEWIWIN Society scrolls and pictography of rock paintings. Introduced to the Canadian public at the Pollock Gallery, Toronto, in 1962, Morrisseau was the first artist of First Nations ancestry to break through the Canadian professional white-art barrier. Throughout the 1960s Morrisseau's pictographic style grew in popularity and was often perceived by other CREE, Ojibwa and Ottawa artists as a tribal style, to be adapted for their own cultural needs. By the 1970s younger artists painted exclusively in his genre.

For Morrisseau, the 1970s were a time of struggle to reconcile traditional Midewiwin and Christian religions in his art and personal life. Combining his Ojibwa heritage, instilled in him by his maternal grandfather, Moses Nanakonagos, with the religion Eckankar, his works during the 1980s became more focused on spiritual elements. Morrisseau continues to study Ojibwa shamanistic practices, which he believes elevate his work to a higher plane of understanding.

Norval Morrisseau was presented with the ORDER OF CANADA in 1978. In 2006, the NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA mounted Norval Morrisseau - Shaman Artist, a travelling retrospective exhibition of the artist's work.

Author TOM HILL

Suggested Reading
Elizabeth McLuhan and Tom Hill, Norval Morrisseau and the Emergence of the Image Makers (1984); Lister Sinclair, Jack Pollock, The Art of Norval Morrisseau (1979).

Links to Other Sites
Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge
The website for the Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge, which features Canada's largest essay writing competition for Aboriginal youth (ages 14-29) and a companion program for those who prefer to work through painting, drawing and photography. See their guidelines, teacher resources, profiles of winners, and more. From the Historica-Dominion Institute.

National Visions, National Blindness: Canadian Art and Identities in the 1920s
This book review covers historical milestones in Canadian art, including the ascendancy of renowned artist Norval Morriseau. From the website for the Canadian Sociological Association.

Art!Facts
Discover compelling stories about outstanding Canadian artists and some of their monumental works of art. From the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and the Virtual Museum of Canada Teachers' Centre.

Norval (called Copper Thunderbird) Morrisseau
An online gallery of art created by Norval (called Copper Thunderbird) Morrisseau. From "Cybermuse," a National Gallery of Canada website.

Four Directions Teachings
Elders and traditional teachers representing the Blackfoot, Cree, Ojibwe, Mohawk, and Mi’kmaq share teachings about their history and culture. Animated graphics visualize each of the oral teachings. This website also provides biographies of participants, transcripts, and an extensive array of learning resources for students and their teachers. In English with French subtitles.

Norval Morrisseau
A CBC obituary for iconic Canadian painter Norval Morrisseau.

Native Artists
See an overview of native art in Canada. See also profiles of prominent native artists. From the website "Native Art in Canada."

Life and Work of the Woodland Artists
A brief synopsis of the television documentary "The Life and Work of the Woodland Artists." From Telefilm Canada.