Norval
Morrisseau
The Land (Landrights), 1976
Acrylic on canvas
McMicheal
Canadian Art Collection, Ottowa, Canada
--Norval Morrisseau
|
Norval
Morrisseau
| It's
divided into two parts: the world of the white man represented by a government
or corporation white man and a construction or miner white man. The Indian figure
represents the older generation and the ancestors are behind him, looking backwards
to the treaties they had made with the white man. He speaks about the old ways.
The baby looks aggressive. It represents the younger generation, the militants
who speak about what they want. The words cross the lines between the white man
and the Indian. The fist is clenched. The animals are protesting the change in
their environment. They are an important part of the land, the water, and the
Indian's life. In the center part of the painting I show the land and its ownership.
--Norval Morrisseau |