I just got back from the 100 Masters exhibit at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and boy are my arms tired. Sorry, sorry, I couldn’t resist. Actually, it’s my feet that are tired. But I saw every piece on display, and it was indeed an excellent exhibition. Good work, WAG!
There was a beautiful painting by Native Canadian artist Alex Janvier on display. That name hadn’t been in my mind for quite a while until I saw the picture. Then I remembered how much I love his stunning, brightly coloured, heavily detailed, incredibly unique paintings. So, I came home and decided to find a video featuring Alex Janvier to post up on the Spectator Tribune site.
He holds an Alberta Order of Excellence, and here is a short vignette of Janvier in recognition of this fact. In the short video, Janvier talks about how he, like thousands upon thousands of other aboriginal kids, was sent to a residential school, which clearly and understandably had a large impact on his life. Furthermore, he was a victim of a bureaucratic system that didn’t seem interested in his desires or rights. In the end, however, he has managed to keep a good sense of humour and is still one of the most incredible artistic talents in Canada.