Loon Family 

Norval Morrisseau made this painting with vivid acrylic on canvas. His work brings together traditional indigenous stories, and modern art techniques. Look at the bold outlines, and bright flat colors of the loon family riding on the back of a fish. This is a style Morrisseau developed, called Woodland School. The painting process is very direct. Morrisseau applied the paint thickly, allowing the color to express the energy and spirit of the loons, fish and family connections. You can see each brushstroke on the canvas. Morrisseau was part of a generation of artists who challenged the established art world. He drew on his Anishinaabe heritage, to create work that was both deeply personal, and politically resonant. His art was not just about aesthetics. It was about cultural survival, and self-determination. By focusing on his materials, and making process, we can understand his work as a powerful statement. It goes beyond what’s hanging in front of us, and enters a conversation about indigenous identity, and the role of art in shaping our world.