Children in the Tree of Knowledge 1996

Norval Morrisseau made this painting, Children in the Tree of Knowledge, with what looks like acrylic on board. There’s a real directness to the colour, a kind of boldness that isn’t afraid to be raw. It speaks to a way of making art that’s about feeling and intuition, rather than technique. Check out the colours! Hot reds, oranges, pinks, and acid greens vibrate against each other, separated by black outlines. Morrisseau uses these to create a sense of depth and movement, with shapes that seem to float and dance on the surface. Take a look at the figure's eye - it’s wide and staring, a mixture of surprise and intensity. The whole painting feels like a window into another world. Morrisseau reminds me of artists like Hilma af Klint, who were also exploring spiritual themes in their work through abstraction. What connects them, I think, is this idea of art as a form of translation, a way of making visible the invisible forces that shape our lives.