Self-Portrait 2005

Norval Morrisseau made this self-portrait with flat, bright colours and bold outlines. The shapes are simple, but they carry so much feeling. I love how he's not trying to trick us with realism; instead, he’s showing us a way of seeing that’s all about energy and spirit. The yellow background feels like pure light, and the red of his face and headdress is so intense, it’s like looking at fire. Everything is outlined, making it pop, like stained glass, there’s a real sense of sacredness. Check out the way the black line curls around the mouth, it’s playful but also grounded. Morrisseau's work reminds me a bit of Marsden Hartley, with that same directness and love for bold shapes. But Morrisseau brings his own vision, rooted in his culture and experiences, and that’s what makes it so powerful. It is less about showing us who he is than about exploring what it means to see and be seen.