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Art History

Canadian Indigenous Art and Artists

CanadARThistories: Reimagining the Canadian art history survey: A Queen's open access textbook (2023) that addresses "growing concerns around inclusion, regionalism, Indigenization, and internationalization in art history curricula, and is conceived as a response to these ideas."

Braided learning: Illuminating Indigenous presence through art and story: Lenape-Potawatomi educator Susan Dion inspires engagement with the histories and perspectives of Indigenous peoples, cultivating capacities for understanding, attunement, and respect.

Art Gallery of Ontario: The Indigenous Collection: Developing the First Nations, Inuit and Metis art collection is one of the AGO’s primary collecting goals. From Haida master carver Charles Edenshaw, to contemporary Mohawk artist Shelley Niro, the collection spans artistic movements across several centuries.

Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art: Search the CCCA Canadian Art database, housed at Concordia University. Includes First Nations and Inuit artists.

First Nations Art: Introduction to contemporary native artists in Canada. (Library & Archives archived site)

Index of Canadian Artists (Visual Arts) = Répertoire des artistes canadiens (Arts visuels): Site created by François Lareau, B.A., LL.M. (Ottawa), covering Canadian and Indigenous artists based on bio-bibliographic reference sources, with many images. Offers free listings for Canadian artists in visual arts or artists in visual arts living in Canada who have a web site.

Indigenous Art Centre (CIRNAC): Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) is entrusted with the care, development, and maintenance of the Indigenous Art Collection. one of the most important collections of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada.
 
Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada: In taking inspiration from the Haudenosaunee Seventh Generation Principle, the Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada was founded in 2012 to preserve and revitalize endangered Indigenous art forms and enrich lives through Indigenous arts and culture.
 
Indigenous Protocols for the Visual Arts: Developed by CARFAC (Canadian Artists’ Representation. Designed to provide practical guidelines for respectful engagement with Indigenous Peoples. It is part of an ongoing initiative to strengthen respect for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis visual art and artists, and legal and moral rights in the territory now known as Canada.
 
Indigenous Studies Portal - The Arts: University of Saskatchewan resources of articles, e-books, theses, government publications, videos, oral histories, and digitized archival documents and photographs.
 
The Routledge Companion to Decolonizing Art History: "he first global, comprehensive text to explicate, theorize and propose decolonial methodologies for art historians, museum professionals, artists, and other visual culture scholars, teachers, and practitioners."
 
The Routledge Companion to Indigenous Art Histories in the United States and Canada. 2023. Defines Indigenous theoretical and methodological approaches for the production, discussion, and writing of Indigenous art histories.
 

The Sioux Project—Tatanka Oyate: "Tatanka Oyate fills a major gap in our understanding of contemporary Sioux aesthetics in North America with a specific focus on the knowledge and practices of Lakota/Nakota/Dakota (Sioux) communities in Saskatchewan, Canada. The publication reflects over three years of on-the-ground research involving a team led by Lakota video/performance artist Dana Claxton, art historian Lynne Bell, artist Gwenda Yuzicappi, and filmmaker Cowboy Smithx.

Women Artists in Canada: An introduction to contemporary native artists in Canada.

 

Artist Names

Aboriginal Artists in Canada: Includes a list of Aboriginal artists with links to their website.

Important Indigenous Artists in Canada: Compiled in the Canadian Encyclopedia.

List of First Nation and Métis and Inuit artists featured in the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada Aborginal Art Collection.

BC Indigenous Artists List 

Indigenous Group of Seven: Jackson Beardy (Cree),  Eddy Cobiness (Ojibway), Alex Janvier (Dene, Saulteaux), Norval Morrisseau (Ojibway), Daphne Odjig (Potawatomi, Odawa), Carl Ray (Cree) and Joseph Sanchez (Pueblo, Spanish, German). These are the Indigenous visual artists that make up the historical Professional Native Indian Artists Incorporation (PNIAI) and who are now recognized as The Indigenous Group of Seven.

Inuit Artist Print Database: National Gallery of Canada

Appropriation of Works

Promoting and Protecting the Arts and Expressions of Indigenous Peoples: A Compendium of Experiences and Actions. Department of Canadian Heritage, 2021

Okediji, R. L. (2018). Traditional Knowledge and the Public Domain.”Centre for International Governance Innovation. CIGI Papers, no. 176.

Multimedia

CAN-Core Academic Video is a Canadian streaming video platform that includes a collection of documentary and feature films by Indigenous filmmakers. The Indigenous Content Only filter can be used with any Keyword search or any Browse Video searches.