Morrisseau, Norval

Born March 13, 1931 on Sandy Lake Reserve in northwestern Ontario, Norval Morrisseau almost died of illness as a small boy. His mother took him to a Medicine Woman who gave him the powerful Ojibway name Copper Thunderbird to give him strength.

Many elders in the tribe were outraged that such a young man was given such a powerful name. He beat the fever and grew up to become a World Class painter. He now signs all his work using his native name Copper Thunderbird using Cree syllabics taught to him by his Cree wife.

Norval Morrisseau is an Ojibway Shaman who paints the images that come to him in dreams. He was introduced to Toronto art gallery owner Jack Pollock while Pollock was traveling through Northern Ontario in 1962. Pollock took him to Toronto where Morrisseau’s first one man show sold out on the first day. His work now hangs in major galleries around the world. He is a world class artist and is considered the founder of a unique style of native art.

Once dubbed the “Picasso of the North” of Native Art by the French Press in 1969, Morrisseau is considered one of the most innovative artists of the Century. Unlike Picasso, Norval Morrisseau developed a unique style of art back in the bush with no connection to European style and influence.

He is considered The Founder of The Woodlands School of Art which has also been called “Legend Art” or “Medicine Art”, as the images are agents for healing or reflect many of the secret legends known only within the Ojibway and Cree Tribes. With his apprentice and friend, fellow artist Carl Ray (a Cree artist from Sandy Lake) they were the pioneers of this fresh style of art. Both were commissioned by the Canadian government to paint the large mural for The Natives of Canada Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal.

Norval Morrisseau was awarded the prestigious Order of Canada Medal in 1978 by the Governor General of Canada for his contribution to Canadian Art. He was the only Canadian artist invited by France to contribute and show his work at their Bicentennial Celebration in 1989. While in Europe he toured the galleries to see the works of Master artists only to think their work was too dark and somber. He returned to paint in even more vibrant colours and abstract shapes.

He almost died in a hotel fire in 1972 in Vancouver but recovered from the burns and healed enough to paint again. He adopted Christianity around that time and a number of his paintings in the ’70′s reflected this belief in the Lord as the Savior. In time the Lord and Native Shaman shared the same place and power. Morrisseau believes in astral travel and has demonstrated a belief in Eckanar since.

Norval Morrisseau is considered the Grandfather of the Woodlands Style and the most popular of what has been dubbed “Canada’s Native Group of Seven.” He is now a world class artist.

Norval died on December 4, 2007, in Toronto of complications from Parkinson’s disease.

Norval’s Work

Norval Morrisseau exploded onto the national art scene in 1962 as a result of a now famous exhibition at the Pollock Gallery in Toronto. This historic exhibition was full of firsts. An art exhibition devoted entirely to native artists was unheard of prior to 1962, never mind a solo exhibition. The brilliantly promoted event sold out and launched both Morrisseau and native art into the heart of the Canadian art scene.

Morrisseau’s work is in some ways a contradiction. His cultural knowledge of traditional Anishnaabe symbolism and stories, traditional wisdom and beliefs, are the basis for his work. Native symbolism is the heart of Morrisseau’s work. And yet the medium is anything but traditional, using modern acrylics as his tools to express these ancient ideas.

Perhaps it is this meshing of ancient imagery with modern techniques that led to Morrisseau being called the Picasso of the North. Picasso was known to have been inspired by African masks. They profoundly affected him and perhaps influenced his cubist approach to art.

And yet Morrisseau’s meshing of the modern techniques with traditional symbols could be arguably seen as more authentic. Morrisseau cannot be accused of cultural appropriation. Unlike European artists such as Picasso, Morrisseau is not borrowing from other cultural traditions. He is working from within his own traditions and translating them through his own unique artistic perspective.

And like any artistic master, Morrisseau’s work does not have to be viewed by a native to be understood. Their impact is universal. His bold use of symbolism and colour make for powerful and impactful pieces. They are exciting and innovative works.

The success of Morrisseau nationally and internationally has led to an explosion in Canadian native art. Just as the Group of Seven opened the doors for artists to paint authentically Canadian images, Morrisseau laid the groundwork for Canadian native artists to be authentic to their own culture and experiences while still being considered part of the broader artistic scene.

The story of Norval Morrisseau and more importantly his art has forever changed the Canadian art world. He has added a dimension and depth that has enriched and enlivened. His impact is far-reaching. This is one genie that can never be returned to the bottle.