The Art of Sovereignty

TVO•www.tvo.org

Our stories define who we are.

When Indigenous cultures were outlawed across Canada, our voices were silenced.

When our stories went underground to survive, others tried to define us.

But it was our artists who brought our stories back for the world to see and hear.

Join hosts Chris Beaver and Shelby Lisk as they explore the lives of eight First Nations artists whose art reclaims our voices and identities in a country that tried to silence them.

Ontario Hubs are made possible by the Barry and Laurie Green Family Charitable Trust & Goldie Feldman.

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Episodes

Bonnie Devine

Growing up, Bonnie Devine's grandfather warned her to stay away from the bright yellow piles of powder in her community of Serpent River Anishinabek Nation. Little did she know that those yellow triangles would turn up years later in her art practice as she explored natural resource extraction and Indigenous ways of knowing. That curiosity, and a love for being Anishinaabe, led Devine to become the first tenured Indigenous professor at the Ontario College of Art and Design and the founding chair...

Jul 13, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 8

Robert Davidson

Growing up, Robert Davidson's Haida culture was so oppressed, he had no idea he was Indigenous. Colonization was devastating his people. It had touched everything from their way of life and their environment to the arts. Host Chris Beaver speaks with Davidson about how in the final hour of his fading heritage, he ushered in a revival of Haida arts and culture. This episode mentions residential schools. The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line is available 24-hours a day for anyone experiencing...

Jul 06, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Faye HeavyShield

What makes something Indigenous art? For Kainai artist Faye HeavyShield, Indigenous art is not just one thing. It is personal, and for HeavyShield, tied deeply to her story as a woman from the Blood reserve in Southern Alberta. Throughout her career, she has pushed her art into new realms, expressing the nuanced truths of her life. Host Shelby Lisk speaks with Faye HeavyShield about her life, her work, and individuality in art. This episode mentions residential schools. The Indian Residential Sc...

Jun 29, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Carl Beam

As an Indigenous artist, Carl Beam was often told that his art didn't look "Indigenous enough." Throughout his career, Beam pushed back against this, rebelling against cultural categorization. As he fought the stereotypes, he opened the door for other contemporary Indigenous artists. Host Chris Beaver speaks with Carl Beam's daughter, Anong Migwans Beam, who shares stories of her late father and how he forced a new way of thinking about Indigenous art. This episode mentions residential schools. ...

Jun 22, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Robert Houle

For Saulteaux artist Robert Houle, art has always been political. From the Indian Act to the Oka Crisis and more, Houle has spent his career using his art to address the injustices facing Indigenous communities. Host Shelby Lisk explores how Houle’s artwork emphasizes the importance of Land as a spiritual and political legacy for Indigenous peoples. She speaks with Shirley Madill, executive director of the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, and author of ‘Robert Houle: Life & Work.’ This episod...

Jun 15, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Alex Janvier

"[It's time] Indians become landlords again." For artist Alex Janvier, Denesuline, from Cold Lake First Nation, sovereignty and land are inextricably tied to one another. It is a relationship that signals responsibility and reciprocity rather than dominance and subjugation. Throughout his long and distinguished career, Janvier has explored this connection in varying ways through his art. Host Chris Beaver digs into his storied career and speaks with him about land, sovereignty, and his hopes for...

Jun 08, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Daphne Odjig

Host Shelby Lisk speaks with Anishinaabe curator and artist Bonnie Devine about Daphne Odjig, the matriarch of contemporary Indigenous arts in Canada. Most well-known for painting family life, colonial history, and Anishinaabe legends, Odjig pushed back against what the art market demanded of her as an Indigenous artist - as she embraced her Potawatomi identity. She also fiercely supported other Indigenous artists, opening her own art gallery, and forming the Professional Native Indian Artists I...

May 25, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Norval Morrisseau

Host Chris Beaver speaks with Anishinaabe curator Wanda Nanibush and Scots-Lakota scholar Carmen Robertson about Norval Morrisseau, who invented the First Nations abstract art style known as the Woodland School. The episode delves into the stereotypes that attached themselves to Morrisseau's work and legacy. Despite attending residential school and generations of Indigenous cultural expression being banned by the Indian Act, Morrisseau broke the taboo and painted Ojibwa legends and stories to pr...

May 18, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Introducing the Art of Sovereignty

When Indigenous cultures were outlawed across Canada, generations of voices were silenced. Join Indigenous journalists Chris Beaver and Shelby Lisk as they uncover the history and lives of eight First Nations artists who brought those stories back for the world to see and hear. This story of resurgence is told through the lives and artwork of acclaimed artists Norval Morrisseau, Daphne Odjig, Alex Janvier, Robert Houle, Carl Beam, Faye HeavyShield, Robert Davidson, and Bonnie Devine. Ontario Hub...

May 11, 2022•1 min

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