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Historically, art galleries collected paintings,
sculpture, drawings and prints by artists of European descent.
When addressing First Nations subjects,
such artworks often captured incomplete, even stereotyped, views
of Aboriginal realities and experiences. Recently, the AGO has been
working with First Nations people to bring Aboriginal artworks and
perspectives into the Gallery.
Edmund Morris Canadian,
1871-1913
Born Perth Ontario; died Portneuf, Quebec
Portrait of Nepahpenais (Night Bird)
1908
coloured chalks on paper
Gift of Mrs. Harold Hunter, Toronto, in memory of her husband, 1989
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Iroquois photographer Jeff Thomas has responded
to Edmund Morris' 1908 pastel of Chief Nepahpenais, who was a signatory
to a treaty with the Canadian government. Through his photo portrait
of Madeline Dion Stout, Thomas challenges the limited notion of Aboriginal
leadership as that of the stereotypical 'noble savage', and asserts
that "ours was not a 'vanishing race'... First Nations peoples are
still here today".
Jeff Thomas
Iroquois (Canadian), 1956
Born Buffalo, U.S.A.
No Escapin’ This (Madeline Dion Stout)
2001
ektachrome print
©2002 Jeff Thomas, Ottawa
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No escapin' this
