Welcoming the Newcomers 2019

Kent Monkman made this painting, "Welcoming the Newcomers", with oils and a big dose of imagination. Look at how he mixes the dark stormy waves with the almost comical poses of the figures, it's a real process of layering meaning, a bit like life, right? There's Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, in her high heels, reaching out. The paint is luscious, thick in places, especially in the swirling sea. You can almost feel the grit and texture of the rock against the smoothness of her skin. Notice the way she uses light and shadow to shape the figures, giving them weight and presence. It reminds me of the way Manet would paint, casually and confidently, but with a completely different story to tell. Monkman, like so many of us artists, is in conversation with the past, turning it on its head, embracing ambiguity, and reminding us that history is never just one thing.