Indigenous and Canadian artworks to see

In our continuing series of micro-tours highlighting captivating artworks to inspire your next visit, we are putting the spotlight on the AGO’s J.S. McLean Centre for Indigenous & Canadian Art. Comprised of new acquisitions and artworks from current exhibitions, here are a selection of works from our Indigenous and Canadian collections to add to your must-see list. 

Bill Nasogaluak. Bear Tangled in Barbed Wire, around 2007-2014. Painted barbed steel wire and stone. Collection of Samuel & Esther Sarick. © Bill Nasogaluak

First stop: At the northeast corner in Gallery 239 on Level 2, just as you enter the J.S. McLean Centre for Indigenous & Canadian Art, you’ll find a selection of works by Inuk sculptor and painter Bill Nasogaluak. Originally from Tuktoyaktuk, NWT, Nasogaluak’s works are inspired by his Inuvialuit culture, the mythology and traditions of his people and the relationship between land and wildlife. Inside the glass vitrines filled with monumental sculptures and carvings, look out for Bear Tangled in Barbed Wire (2007-2014). It’s an eye-catching work of a bear figure trapped inside shiny barbed wire, mixing traditional and contemporary art forms, displaying the increasingly precarious ways of Inuit life and the impacts of climate change. 

Installation view: Alan Michelson. Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World), 2019. Four-channel video installation with sound; 4 fiberglass orbs with bases, Running Time: 11 Minutes, 36 Seconds. Overall (marine buoys): 90 cm, 15 kg. Purchase, with funds by exchange from a gift from the J.S. McLean Collection, donated by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, 2020. © Alan Michelson. Photo: AGO

Second stop: Moving south to the bridging hallway in Gallery 238 is Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World) (2019) by Mohawk artist Alan Michelson. A new acquisition to the AGO Collection, this multimedia installation features videos projected into sequence onto four large globes. Each video contains a variety of imagery from the Oka standoff in Quebec (1990), footage from an Idle No More rally (2012-15), views of a Haudenosaunee boy doing a war dance, and stock clips of galleons at sea. Listen closely to the soundscape and you will hear excerpts from Jean-Phiilippe Rameau’s 1735 opera-ballet piece, Les Sauvages, and two Catholic hymns sung in Mohawk. Layered together, Michelson creates a compelling look into the differences between European and Indigenous ways of knowing. Click here for our past AGOinsider story breaking down the four videos and their meanings. Click here to view Michelson’s conversation with Wanda Nanibush, AGO Curator, Indigenous Art, on this piece at aabaakwad 2021.

Travis Shilling. The Excavators #2, 2019. Oil on canvas, Overall: 121.9 × 121.9 cm. Purchase, with funds by exchange from the J.S. McLean Collection, by Canada Packers Inc., 2020. © Travis Shilling, courtesy Ingram Gallery 2020/99

Third stop: Moving along, find two new works in the AGO Collection by local Anishinaabe artist Travis Shilling – the son of renowned artist Arthur Shilling, known for his expressionistic paintings reflective of Indigenous land and culture. Hung on the wall are Owl (2019) and The Excavators #2 (2019), two oil paintings from Shilling’s Tyrannosaurus Clan series which explores the relationship between humans, animals and industry, particularly on First Nation lands. The works boast a woodland style of painting with a muted colour palette. You’ll find larger-than-life animal figures painted in bright colours and a style representative of Anishinaabe culture. Speaking to the resilience of First Nations culture in the face of the resource economy, look closely to find pipelines in the painting making their colonizing marks through the land. Worthy of a close-looking, Shilling’s works add fresh additions to AGO’s growing contemporary Indigenous art and local artist collections. 

Bonus stop:  Looking for more? Stop and check out the new work on view titled Extended Breathing While Highlights Travel (2009) by American-Canadian artist Suzy Lake. From her Extending Breathing series, Lake stands still, breathing while holding the same position for roughly one hour as an analog camera registers the passing of time through a single long exposure. Looking at full breaths as a celebration of life, Lake creates a tribute to the beauty of perseverance and experience. 

Last but not least, don’t miss a visit to The Wisdom of the Universe (2014) by a Métis visual artist and author Christi Belcourt. Recently returned from a long tour, the whimsical painting references Métis and Anishinaabe beading traditions, depicting continuity with Indigenous philosophies of interconnectedness, caring and biodiversity. Click here to read the artist statement for this commissioned artwork. 

Add these works to your viewing list and sign up to be an AGO Member or Annual Passholder to get quicker access to free art all year-round. Annual Passes are $35 and free for those 25 years old and under. Book your Gallery visit now. For more information on how to plan your next trip, visit AGO.ca/visitor-information/visitor-guidelines. Subscribe to the AGOinsider for exciting news about our collection and upcoming exhibitions.