He was born on March 14 in an Indian reservation in northern Ontario (according to other sources – at Fort William in 1931). He was the eldest son. By tradition, he was raised by his maternal relatives. His grandfather was a shaman and told him about the traditions of the people and their legends. His grandmother, a devout Catholic, taught him the basic tenets of Christian dogma. An important in intellectual and creative development factor was exactly the contrast between the two religious traditions.
1932 - 2007
Norval Morrisseau
description
A Canadian self-taught artist of Indian origin, the founder of Woodland School (Woodland or forest school).
The most original and famous artist of his country. Norval Morrisseau was the first to depict ancient myths and legends on canvases transmitted by the oral tradition of the Ojibwa tribe. The naive artist is considered the creator of the Woodland artistic style. In 1989, he became the only Canadian artist invited to participate in the Earth Wizards exhibition at the Paris Museum of Modern Art. His personal exhibitions were frequently held by the famous US galleries. The artist was awarded an honorary degree at the Royal Academy of Arts of his country and the highest civil honor – a membership in the Order of Canada, and also received the highest award of the Assembly of First Nations – The Eagle Feather. His works are bought by the most prestigious museums around the world.
Key ideas:
– Having visited the Paris exhibition of the Canadian self-taught artist, Marc Chagall compared him to Picasso himself. Norval Morisseau himself in his youth had little faith that proud and intelligent gentlemen would purchase his works or even organize his shows at museums. In his book “Legends of my people – the great Ojibways”, he stated that he was a natural artist and that his main task was to draw the stories and legends he had heard in order to make them the property of all who live on earth.
– The myths told by him are simple and sacred in their universal human value. In the painting “The Great Eagle”, the interdependence of all life cycles is shown, while “Life on the pond” interprets individual episodes, sometimes bizarre. “The Branch of Life” tells about youth, while the painting “Mother Earth” tells about a peaceful day surrounded by the beauty of nature. “Inner strength” is about a shaman who calls the spirit of a huge bear, which has powers to protect someone’s marriage.
– A global philosophical problem is solved in the work “Nobody is alone”; indeed, who would mind the idea that all earthly creatures, the life of seas, land and sky are interconnected? The artist called it the “alphabet of nature” and grammar, where the symbols are plants, animals, birds, fish, earth and sky. His tribe knows all this; therefore, the world should not consider his people illiterate.
– Norval worked furiously and in any, sometimes even inhuman conditions, managing to create more than 15,000 canvases in 43 years. He developed not only his own recognizable artistic language, but also his own technique. The plots that he knew or which he imagined constantly altered, as well as manner of their embodiment: the colors became brighter and began to finally shine like neon.
– In many his works, Morrisseau imitated the stained glass style that impressed him in the prison church. Christian motifs interpreted in his way (for example, “Indian Jesus Christ”) harmonized with the theme.
– N. Morrisseau gained international recognition for his innovative and bright, sometimes provocative style. His work evokes thoughts of childish simplicity and the desire to make the story festive. Being a gifted colorist, he combines stunning shades: in one picture, there can be a bright yellow and not less juicy purple color, while an element with a bright green “look” can appear on the “outskirts”.
1932
1938 - 1940
1950
1960
1962
1967 - 1970
1970
1976
1986
1990
2005 - 2007
2007
The birth of the artist
He studied at the Catholic boarding school
He studied at the Catholic boarding school on the European system, where communicating in his native language was forbidden. He did not receive any other education and left school because of the need to work.
“Copper Thunderbird”
The young man who was seriously ill was subjected to the ceremony of getting a new name; after that, almost dying famous artist got recovered and since then signed his paintings as “Copper Thunderbird”. None of his tribe supported his enthusiasm for drawing; he developed his technique based on books and magazines found among waste papers.
"Legends of the Great Ojibway"
The Red Lake village where the nativist lived was once visited by artist and writer Selwyn Dewdney, who collected information on petroglyphs. The canoe that he hired was driven by rower Norval. The communication between them became the source for the book “Legends of the Great Ojibway”, written by Dewdney based on the stories of Morrisseau.
He got acquainted with art dealer J. Pollock
Received the first recognition from doctor Kohinoor J. Weinstein, an amateur artist and collector of paintings in the style of primitive art. He also got acquainted with art dealer J. Pollock, who organized his first exhibition. Received material support from Senator Grossart. He was among Canadian artists invited to the galleries of Toronto for exhibitions and sales.
“You stole our homeland, culture, our souls...”
At the exhibition Expo 67, conceived as an act of reconciliation of the descendants of the colonialists with the indigenous people, he designed the pavilion of Canadian Indians. Neither Norval nor his compatriots cherished warm feelings for the authorities; the exhibition began with the provocative poster “You stole our homeland, culture, our souls…” and was entirely devoted to the problems of political and social discrimination of Indians in Canada. Not daring to start an open conflict, the government allowed Morrisseau to join RCA (Royal Canadian Academy of Art) in 1970.
He was invited to join the Indian Group of Seven
He was invited to join the Indian Group of Seven, which organized several joint exhibitions in Canada. The last exhibition was held in Montreal in 1975. The artist was arrested for disturbing the peace (drunkenness). In prison, he was allowed to draw and attend church. He had a vision of Jesus Christ, who became a new guiding star in his art.
Became interested in the New Age movement
Became interested in the New Age movement – the Eckankar religion, which helps to gain a sense of divine light through spiritual exercises. The artist transferred his mystical experiences to his paintings. Received the Order of Canada (1978).
He became the Great Shaman of the Ojibweans
By the decision of the elders, he became the Great Shaman of the Ojibweans. A documentary was filmed about the artist. Norval was honored to exhibit his paintings at the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution. In 1989, he became the only Canadian artist invited to the Georges Pompidou center in Paris, where he showed his works at the exhibition “Wizards of the Earth”; at the Fort Tuberculosis Hospital, William met Harriet, his future wife.
Participated in a number of exhibitions
Participated in a number of exhibitions. The artist was awarded the highest award of the Assembly of First Nations – “Eagle Feather”; he was awarded the honorary doctorate of McGill and McMaster universities. In 1992, the gallery of Matt Stephic, a big fan of Norval, was opened by Morisseau’s exhibition.
Joined the ranks of the Royal Society of Canada
Created the N. Morisseau’s Heritage Society (NMHS) to create a general catalog of the works. Joined the ranks of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC), although due to progressing Parkinson’s disease he could no longer paint. Two years in a row, the Ottawa National Gallery of Canada organized a retrospective exhibition; for the first time the entire gallery was set aside for the works of the naivist. The exhibition continued at the McMichael Gallery in Kleinburg (Ontario), at the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum in Santa Fe (New Mexico), at the National Museum of the American Indian in Manhattan.
The death
He died in Toronto on December 4 from a cardiac arrest; was buried next to his wife Harriet in Northern Ontario on his land.