Irrévérence ou résurgence ? Au Canada Kent Monkman, artiste cri, revisite la tradition du « portrait d’Indiens »

Abstract

In this article, I analyse three series of portraits by the Canadian Cree artist Kent Monkman (2008-2022), as examples of radical resurgence and countervisuality. Monkman is known for his irreverent treatment of the European canon and representation of Canadian history. I first focus on two series which Monkman painted in 2008, as a response to the 19th century traditions of “portraits of Indians” and of “portraits of Indian warriors,” which Canadian painter Paul Kane and American painter George Catlin were famous for. With these 2008 series—acrylics and watercolours—which all include direct allusions to 19th century paintings, Monkman exposes the prevailing vision of Indigenous peoples as a vanishing race. These series also expose European visions of Indigenous sexuality by depicting two-spirit figures. Finally, I examine a recent series entitled wâsê-acâhkosak (Shining Stars) (2020-2022), as an instance of radical resistance since Monkman paints the portraits of contemporary Indigenous heroes who are part of an artistic and intellectual renaissance, within a larger political and cultural context of resurgence.

Keywords

• representation
• Kent Monkman
• Indigenous art
• resurgence
• visuality
• counter-visuality