Kent Monkman - mistikôsiwak (Wooden Boat People)

Summary

The video discusses a diptych of paintings by Kent Monkman, featuring his alter ego Mischief Eagle Testicle. The left painting, 'Welcoming the Newcomers,' portrays the arrival of European settlers in North America, while the right, 'The Resurgence of the People,' reflects the displacement and resilience of Indigenous cultures. Monkman draws on Indigenous Cree perspectives and critiques the romanticized view of Indigenous peoples in Western art. He merges history painting with contemporary issues like climate change and colonialism, using Mischief to humanize these historical moments and refute the narrative of Indigenous disappearance.

Takeaways

• 🎨 This project is a diptych, featuring two large-scale paintings focused on settler culture arrival and Indigenous displacement.
• 🌎 The left painting, 'Welcoming the Newcomers,' illustrates the arrival of European settlers in North America, while the right painting, 'The Resurgence of the People,' reflects Indigenous resilience and resurgence.
• 🏛️ The artist explores the museum as a colonial institution and a global cultural repository, highlighting the migration and displacement of populations, particularly through New York as a gateway to America.
• 🦅 The protagonist of these paintings is the artist's alter ego, Mischief Eagle Testicle, who represents Indigenous perspectives, specifically the Cree, symbolizing themes of love, kinship, and strength.
• ⏳ The artist uses Mischief to explore history, placing her in historical moments to humanize and connect viewers with emotional experiences tied to Indigenous history.
• 🖼️ The artist critiques 19th-century settler artworks that romanticized and misrepresented Indigenous people, refuting the notion of Indigenous disappearance and asserting that Indigenous cultures still thrive.
• 📸 The creative process involves detailed planning, costume design, and digital photography to ensure the paintings accurately reflect the artist's vision.
• 💧 Water plays a significant role in the paintings, symbolizing climate change, rising sea levels, and the displacement of people, both historically and in the future.
• 🖌️ The artist draws inspiration from a range of historical works by artists like Delacroix, Titian, and Rubens, integrating elements of traditional European history painting with Indigenous narratives.
• 🤝 Collaboration is key in the studio, with a team of 18 assistants contributing to the artwork, allowing the artist to focus more on the creative concepts and ideas behind the work.

Q & A

What is the theme of the two paintings in the project?

The project explores the arrival of European settler cultures to North America and the displacement of the indigenous people. The left painting, 'Welcoming the Newcomers,' focuses on the arrival of settlers, while the right painting, 'The Resurgence of the People,' represents the strength and resurgence of the indigenous people.

Who is the protagonist in the two paintings, and what does she represent?

The protagonist in the two paintings is the artist's alter ego, Mischief Eagle Testicle. In the first painting, she represents the concepts of 'love' (Sunita) and 'kinship' (Wahkohtowin) from a Cree perspective. In the second painting, she embodies strength, drawn from indigenous teachings about living harmoniously with other cultures.

Why did the artist create the character of Mischief Eagle Testicle?

The artist created Mischief Eagle Testicle to place her in different historical contexts, allowing him to be present in history in a way he could not be just as himself. Mischief represents indigenous perspectives and makes history personal and human, connecting viewers to the emotional experience of historical events.

What was the artist's approach when studying the museum's collection for inspiration?

The artist examined artworks made by settler artists that often romanticized or misrepresented indigenous people, such as portraying them as a vanishing race. He refutes this idea in his own work, emphasizing that indigenous people are still present and thriving today.

What process does the artist follow when creating his large-scale paintings?

The artist begins by absorbing material from various sources and creating sketches. He then works through compositional issues on a smaller scale before finalizing the large painting. His team of 18 assistants helps with different aspects, such as costume selection, model casting, and photography to ensure every detail aligns with his vision.

How does the artist take inspiration from historical paintings?

The artist draws inspiration from great paintings by artists like Titian, Rubens, and Delacroix, focusing on the dynamism and interaction of human figures. He also studied works such as 'Washington Crossing the Delaware,' using that as a way to 'authorize' and elevate indigenous people in the history of the continent.

What role does water play in the two paintings?

Water is significant in both paintings, with huge ocean swells symbolizing rising sea levels and climate change. The water also represents the flood of settlers and the ongoing displacement of people, particularly as coastal areas become affected by rising waters in the future.

How does the artist view the Western art tradition?

The artist approaches the Western art tradition as an outsider, being a Cree person. He sees value in history painting, a genre often considered outdated, and seeks to reclaim and repurpose it to tell indigenous stories and reflect the importance of all histories.

Why does the artist choose to collaborate with a large team in his studio?

Collaborating with a team of 18 assistants allows the artist to be more efficient and productive, freeing up his time for creative thinking. The collaboration enhances the end result, as it involves the collective input of multiple minds and hands working together.

What message does the artist send by creating history paintings from a European art tradition?

By reclaiming history paintings from the European art tradition, the artist sends a clear message about the value of all histories, including indigenous histories. He seeks to challenge the idea that indigenous people were vanishing and asserts their ongoing presence and importance.