Peripheral Vision(s):
Perspectives on the “Indian” image by 19th century Northern Plains warrior-artists and 20th century American artists, Leonard Baskin and Fritz Scholder

Curated by Rhéanne Chartrand and Gerald McMaster
Supported by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

This project arose from the curators’ mutual interest in interrogating the “Indian” image, applying gaze theory and the praxis of survivance to the critical analysis of Indigenous art, and building Indigenous art histories from an Indigenous perspective. It will generate insights on image-making, self-representation, misrepresentation, naming, and the overall intent of portraiture.

The exhibition presents
– Ledger drawings by 19th century Northern Plains warrior-artist including the renowned Short Bull (c.1845-1923), drawn from both regional and American institutions including: the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH), the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, ON), and Simcoe County Museum (Minesing, ON)
– works by Luiseño-American artist, Fritz Scholder (1937-2005), on generous loan from the following American institutions: Harwood Museum of Art at the University of New Mexico (Taos, NM), IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (Santa Fe, NM), Minneapolis Museum of Art (Minneapolis, MN), and Tucson Museum of Art (Tucson, AZ).
– eleven of McMaster Museum of Art’s twenty-seven “Indian portraits” by Jewish-American artist, Leonard Baskin (1922-2000), generously donated to MMA by Baskin’s brother, a long-time Hamilton resident, Rabbi Bernard Baskin.

EVENTS

Opening Reception: September 12, 6 – 8 pm
Curator’s Tour by Rhéanne Chartrand: Wednesday, Sept 25, 12:30 – 1:20 pm
A Night of Indigenous Music | Cris Derksen and nêhiyawak: Thursday, September 26, 7 – 9 pm
Panel Discussion: Wednesday, November 20, 6 – 9 pm
• Janet Berlo, professor of art/art history and visual culture, University of Rochester
• Gerald McMaster, curator, artist, author, and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair of Indigenous visual culture and curatorial practice, Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto, ON
• Jeffrey Thomas, independent photo-based artist, recipient of the 2019 Governor General Award for the Visual and Media Arts
• Rhéanne Chartrand, curator of Indigenous art, McMaster Museum of Art