Artist Interview—Kent Monkman: mistikôsiwak (Wooden Boat People) | Met Exhibitions

Summary

Cree artist Kent Monkman discusses his collaboration with The Met, aiming to integrate Indigenous experiences into art history. He draws inspiration from various sources, including old paintings and contemporary Indigenous life, to create powerful narratives. Monkman's work challenges the 'vanishing race' stereotype through his persona Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, who humorously reverses the colonial gaze. His exhibition, titled 'mistikôsiwak', reflects on Indigenous perspectives on arrivals, migrations, and displacements, with Miss Chief as a guiding figure in paintings symbolizing both welcome and resurgence.

Takeaways

• 🎨 Kent Monkman is a Cree artist who sees his work as a way to integrate Indigenous experiences into the canon of art history.
• 🌟 He collaborates with The Met to reflect on colonial history from an Indigenous perspective, challenging traditional narratives.
• 🖌️ Monkman's inspiration is drawn from a mix of old paintings and contemporary Indigenous experiences, focusing on the expression of human emotion through art.
• 📸 His creative process involves moving from initial pencil sketches to photography and then to canvas, culminating in a solo effort to finalize the artwork.
• 🧍‍♂️ He critiques the 'vanishing race' stereotype often portrayed by settler artists, emphasizing the ongoing presence and resilience of Indigenous peoples.
• 🏳️‍🌈 Monkman introduces Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, an artistic persona that embodies humor and playfulness, and challenges Eurocentric views on gender and sexuality.
• 🚢 The title 'mistikôsiwak' refers to the Cree term for the French arrival in wooden boats, symbolizing arrivals, migrations, and displacements.
• 🌐 The two paintings 'Welcoming the Newcomers' and 'Resurgence of the People' depict Miss Chief in roles of assistance and leadership, respectively, commenting on generosity and the return to Indigenous traditions.
• 🌉 The Great Hall serves as a backdrop for these themes, representing the constant flow of people entering and leaving, much like the global movements of people.
• 📖 Monkman is particularly drawn to history painting to correct the oversight of Indigenous experiences in historical narratives.

Q & A

Who is Kent Monkman?

Kent Monkman is a Cree artist known for his work that brings Indigenous experience into the canon of art history.

What is the significance of Monkman's collaboration with The Met?

Monkman views his collaboration with The Met as an exciting opportunity to reflect on colonial history from an Indigenous perspective, as The Met opens its doors to artists of diverse ethnicities and viewpoints.

What is Kent Monkman's artistic inspiration?

Monkman draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including old paintings and contemporary experiences, with a focus on how painting can express human emotions such as grief and ecstasy.

How does Kent Monkman approach the process of creating his artwork?

Monkman begins with pencil sketches, identifies characters, conducts a photoshoot with models, and then transitions to painting on canvas, where he refines and completes the work.

What themes does Monkman explore in his work?

Monkman often explores themes related to Indigenous history, particularly refuting the 'vanishing race' narrative and emphasizing that Indigenous peoples are still alive and thriving.

Who is Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, and why is she significant in Monkman's work?

Miss Chief Eagle Testickle is Monkman's artistic persona, a legendary figure who embodies Cree values, humor, and a non-binary understanding of gender and sexuality. She allows Monkman to reverse the gaze and critique European settlers.

How does Monkman incorporate humor into his work?

Monkman uses humor, especially through Miss Chief, to address dark chapters of Indigenous history, reflecting the humor found in Indigenous stories.

What is the significance of the painting 'Washington Crossing the Delaware' in Monkman's work?

Monkman reinterprets Emanuel Leutze's 'Washington Crossing the Delaware,' placing Miss Chief as the hero in his paintings, thereby offering an Indigenous perspective and giving it monumental importance.

What does the title 'mistikôsiwak' mean, and how does it relate to Monkman's exhibition?

The title 'mistikôsiwak' means 'the wooden boat people' in Cree, referring to the French settlers who arrived in wooden boats. This reflects the themes of migration, displacement, and arrival in Monkman's paintings.

What messages do Monkman's paintings 'Welcoming the Newcomers' and 'Resurgence of the People' convey?

'Welcoming the Newcomers' depicts Miss Chief assisting people arriving in North America, symbolizing Indigenous generosity. 'Resurgence of the People' shows Miss Chief commanding a migrant vessel, representing the return to Indigenous languages and traditions amidst global displacement.

Outlines

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🎨 Indigenous Art and Collaboration

Kent Monkman, a Cree artist, discusses his exciting opportunity to work with The Met's collection, reflecting on colonial history from an Indigenous perspective. He aims to integrate Indigenous experiences into art history, drawing inspiration from old paintings and contemporary experiences. Monkman values the language of painting and its ability to express human emotions. He outlines his creative process, starting from pencil sketches to photography and eventually finishing on canvas alone. Monkman critiques the 'vanishing race' narrative, asserting Indigenous people's vitality through his work, which includes elements of camp and Indigenous history. He introduces Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, an artistic persona representing Cree values and humor, used to challenge historical depictions and explore gender and sexuality beyond binaries. Monkman also discusses his monumental paintings, which aim to give Indigenous perspectives the same importance as traditional history paintings, focusing on arrivals, migrations, and displacements.

Keywords

💡Indigenous experience

The Indigenous experience refers to the historical and contemporary experiences of Indigenous people, particularly in relation to colonialism and cultural survival. In the video, Kent Monkman highlights how his work as an artist brings Indigenous perspectives into the art historical canon, challenging traditional narratives that overlook or romanticize Indigenous peoples. This concept is central to his mission of reflecting on colonial history and its impact on Indigenous communities.

💡Colonial history

Colonial history refers to the period of European colonization and its impact on the lands and peoples they colonized, including Indigenous populations. In the video, Monkman reflects on this history from an Indigenous perspective, offering a critique of how Indigenous people were represented by settler artists, often as a 'vanishing race.' His work seeks to counter this narrative and highlight Indigenous resilience and survival.

💡The Met

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or The Met, is one of the most prestigious art institutions in the world. In this video, Monkman speaks about how The Met is opening its doors to artists from different ethnicities and perspectives. His collaboration with The Met allows him to challenge historical representations of Indigenous people in Western art, and bring forward Indigenous narratives that have been overlooked.

💡History painting

History painting is a genre of art that depicts historical events, often idealized and with a focus on grand narratives. Monkman, in the video, expresses his fascination with history painting, as it allows him to tell stories that were never portrayed, particularly from an Indigenous perspective. His large-scale paintings, such as 'Welcoming the Newcomers' and 'Resurgence of the People,' reframe historical events through the lens of Indigenous experiences.

💡Miss Chief Eagle Testickle

Miss Chief Eagle Testickle is Monkman’s artistic persona, a figure he created to reverse the colonial gaze and offer a Cree perspective on European settlers. Miss Chief embodies humor, playfulness, and a challenge to the male-female binary. Through this character, Monkman addresses themes of gender, sexuality, and colonialism, allowing him to critique and reimagine historical events, such as those depicted in traditional Western art.

💡Resurgence

Resurgence refers to the revitalization and recovery of Indigenous traditions, languages, and cultures that were suppressed by colonial forces. In the video, Monkman’s painting 'Resurgence of the People' portrays Miss Chief leading a group in a migrant-like vessel, symbolizing the return to Indigenous knowledge and ways of life. This theme is central to Monkman’s work, as he emphasizes the survival and continued presence of Indigenous people despite colonial narratives of disappearance.

💡Romantic view of the 'vanishing race'

This concept refers to the idealized and incorrect depiction of Indigenous people as a disappearing or dying culture, often seen in Western art and literature. Monkman critiques this 'romantic' notion, asserting that Indigenous peoples are 'very much alive.' His work seeks to refute these themes of disappearance, offering a counter-narrative that emphasizes survival, resilience, and the continued vibrancy of Indigenous cultures.

💡Generosity

Generosity, in the context of Monkman’s work, refers to the traditional Indigenous values of welcoming and assisting others, particularly newcomers. In his painting 'Welcoming the Newcomers,' Miss Chief is depicted assisting new arrivals to North America, symbolizing the generosity of Indigenous people. This concept contrasts with the often hostile and exploitative nature of colonial encounters, offering a reimagined version of these interactions.

💡Cree values

Cree values encompass the cultural, social, and spiritual beliefs of the Cree Nation, including perspectives on gender, community, and relationships with the land. Monkman references Cree values throughout the video, particularly in relation to gender fluidity, which did not conform to the male-female binary imposed by European settlers. His character, Miss Chief, embodies these values, challenging Western norms of gender and sexuality.

💡Migrations and displacements

Migrations and displacements refer to the forced movements of people, often due to colonialism, conflict, or environmental factors. Monkman’s painting 'Resurgence of the People' draws parallels between historical Indigenous displacements and contemporary global migrations. Through this theme, he connects Indigenous experiences to broader global issues of displacement, positioning Miss Chief as a leader in the resurgence and survival of displaced communities.

Highlights

Kent Monkman is a Cree artist working with The Met to reflect Indigenous perspectives on colonial history.

The Met is opening its doors to artists from diverse ethnicities and perspectives.

Monkman aims to bring Indigenous experiences into the canon of art history.

His inspiration comes from old paintings and contemporary experiences.

Monkman explores how painters describe human emotions through their work.

He collaborates with assistants to develop compositions, starting from pencil sketches to canvas.

Monkman refutes the Romantic view of Indigenous people as a 'vanishing race'.

His work includes elements of camp and Indigenous history.

Miss Chief Eagle Testickle is an artistic persona created to reverse the gaze on European settlers.

Monkman discusses Cree values and non-binary gender and sexuality concepts.

Miss Chief embodies humor, playfulness, and a connection to mythologies and history.

Monkman uses Miss Chief to bring humor to dark chapters of Indigenous experiences.

He creates monumental paintings to reflect Indigenous perspectives with importance.

The exhibition title, mistikôsiwak, refers to the French arrival in wooden boats.

The paintings Welcoming the Newcomers and Resurgence of the People speak about arrivals, migrations, and displacements.

In Welcoming the Newcomers, Miss Chief assists people arriving to North America, symbolizing generosity.

In Resurgence of the People, Miss Chief leads a resurgence to return to Indigenous languages and traditions.

Monkman is drawn to history painting to portray Indigenous experiences that were never portrayed.

The project engages with the master narrative to offer perspectives from the outside.

Transcripts

Kent Monkman: My name is Kent Monkman. I’m a Cree artist.

This is a very exciting opportunity to work with the collection at The Met, because at

this point in history, The Met is opening their doors to artists from different ethnicities

and perspectives to be able to reflect—at least as an Indigenous person—what this

colonial history has meant to us. As an artist, I wanted to bring Indigenous

experience into this canon of art history. My inspiration comes from a variety of different

sources. I’ll be looking at old paintings, I’ll be thinking about contemporary experiences.

I love the language of painting. How does a painter describe grief? How does a painter

describe ecstasy? How do they describe human emotion?

I really believe in the power of painting, and through the collaboration with my assistants

we developed a process to create compositions. From the initial pencil, we start to identify

who the characters are. We then moved into a photography stage; we brought models in

and created a photoshoot. We then moved to canvas. And then eventually it’s just me

left on the canvas by myself. That’s when I really pull everything all together.

And something I’ve been looking at in my art practice for many years are the paintings

or sculptures made by the settler artists who were looking at Indigenous people. And

it’s always this Romantic view of the “vanishing race.” In fact, we’re very much alive.

My work really is refuting those themes of disappearance.

There’s elements of camp in my work. There’s elements of Indigenous history. When I created

Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, I wanted an artistic persona that could travel through time to

reverse the gaze and look back at European settlers. That could really speak to Cree

values. We had our own ideas of gender and sexuality that didn’t fit the male-female

binary. Miss Chief is a legendary being. She really

embodies a sense of humor, a playfulness, a relationship to mythologies and history.

We have a lot of humor in our stories, and Miss Chief allows me to bring the humor even

through some very dark chapters of our experience. In the Emanuel Leutze painting Washington

Crossing the Delaware, he’s the hero of that painting. And I wanted Miss Chief to

be the hero of my two paintings. I wanted to make a monumental painting that really

reflected on Indigenous perspective to give it that same importance.

The title of this exhibition is mistikôsiwak (“the wooden boat people”), which is a

Cree word to describe when the French arrived, they arrived in wooden boats.

The two paintings together really speak about the arrivals and migrations and displacements

of people around the world. And the Great Hall, of course, is this place

of people entering and people leaving.

The left painting, Welcoming the Newcomers, Miss Chief is literally bending over to assist

people arriving to North America. That has to do with generosity.

In the second painting, Resurgence of the People, Miss Chief is commanding this boat,

which looks a lot like a migrant vessel, and many people across the world are being displaced

from their own lands. Miss Chief is leading this resurgence of the

people to represent a return to our languages and a return to our traditions.

I love the capacity for painting to tell a story.

I’ve always been drawn to history painting because so many Indigenous experiences were

never portrayed. This project was an opportunity to engage

with this master narrative, to reflect on it, and to offer perspectives that come from

the outside.