Life Regenerating 

Norval Morrisseau's "Life Regenerating" is teeming with symbols central to Anishinaabe cosmology, rendered with bold lines and vibrant color. A large sturgeon dominates, its form a vessel for numerous other creatures: birds, turtles, and celestial orbs, each element interconnected through sinuous lines. The sturgeon itself is a potent symbol, often regarded as an ancient being and a source of life and sustenance. This echoes the imagery of the world turtle, known across cultures as the foundation of existence. Like the turtle, the sturgeon carries a world of its own. Consider the ancient Ouroboros, the serpent eating its tail, a symbol of cyclical renewal, mirroring the regenerative theme present here. Morrisseau tapped into a primordial current, where animals are not merely beings but living repositories of ancestral memory and spiritual power. The painting captures the human desire to understand the never-ending process of birth, death, and rebirth. This piece is a testament to the enduring power of symbols to convey complex cultural and emotional truths. The journey of symbols continues, as does the regeneration of life.