My Treaty Is With The Crown. The exhibition brings together new paintings, objects and a new video presented alongside a selection of 19th century European, North American and aboriginal artifacts and paintings borrowed from the McCord Museum and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
With the collaboration of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the McCord Museum of Canadian History
Organized by Michèle Thériault and produced by the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery
Kent Monkman and Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, the artist's alter ego transform the Ellen Art Gallery into a camp of military tents in which the new "Canada" that emerges in the decisive battle of the Plains of Abraham between the British and the French armies (General Wolfe and Montcalm) is invaded by the presence of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, Monkman's alter ego.
The exhibition brings together new paintings and objects (Miss Chief's personal collection), and a new video by Monkman presented alongside a selection of 19th century European, North American and aboriginal artifacts and paintings borrowed from the collections of the McCord Museum and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
As an artist of Cree ancestry, Monkman revisits North American historical events and cultural representations proposing alternative narratives and possibilities that mine the discourse of civilization and the ethos of foundational myths. He derails the white colonial discourse by turning it on its head – it is now Miss Chief, the sexy and extravagant diva warrior, representative of the red race, who is ravishing the European male – through a camp esthetic that places sexuality and desire at the center of his critical project.
Events:
Tour of the exhibition with the artist
Followed by exhibition opening reception.
Thursday March 3, 16:30 pm
Artist's talk
Friday March 4, 10:30 am
Limited seating, reservation required
Kent Monkman's is represented by: Bailey Fine Arts, Toronto; Stephen Friedman Gallery, London; TrépanierBaer Gallery, Calgary; Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain, Montréal; Galerie Florent Tosin, Berlin.
Kent Monkman wishes to thank the Ontario Arts Council for its support.
The Gallery's contemporary programming is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts
Image: Kent Monkman, Mary, 2011. High definition video. Courtesy Bailey Fine Arts, Toronto
opening reception: Thursday March 3, 16:30 pm
Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery
1400, boul. de Maisonneuve West (Concordia University) - Montreal (Québec)
Tuesday to Friday: noon to 6 pm. Saturday: noon to 5 pm.
The Gallery is closed on statutory holidays and during the months of July and August.