The Subjugation of Truth 2016

Kent Monkman made this painting, “The Subjugation of Truth,” which is full of tension and storytelling. The artist's hand is almost invisible here, so smooth and academic is the rendering of the scene. I can imagine Monkman thinking about all those old master paintings, and then having this vision and almost a sense of anger, of re-doing history, righting a wrong through painting. He has the technical ability of a master, but with an activist’s vision. The painting style itself almost becomes a kind of weapon. Look at the way the figures are arranged around the table, the dynamic between the colonizers and the Indigenous people – it’s like a stage set, everything is designed to make you feel the imbalance of power. And that portrait of Queen Victoria looming in the background! It all adds up to this really powerful statement about history, truth, and representation. It reminds me of other history painters, but with a really important twist.