Ice House, Coldwell, Lake Superior 1923

Lawren Harris painted "Ice House, Coldwell, Lake Superior" to capture the Canadian landscape with a modernist vision. Harris, born into wealth, was interested in how art could express spiritual and national identity. Notice how the stark geometry of the ice house contrasts with the undulating curves of the land and sky. The lack of human presence emphasizes the dominance of nature, a recurring theme in Harris's work and that of the Group of Seven. Harris sought to capture the essence of the Canadian wilderness, and in doing so, created idealized representations of nature. Yet we must ask ourselves: whose vision of Canada is represented here? Whose stories are included, and whose are erased? Harris's paintings invite us to reflect on the complex relationship between art, identity, and the land.