The Land (1976) Norval Morrisseau

The Land (Landrights)

Norval Morrisseau

c.1976, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 96.7 cm

Norval Morrisseau stands alone in his formal innovation and largeness of personal vision. He was the first Indian to study seriously and to update his own cultural beliefs and translate them visually for contemporary Indian and non-Indian audiences. In doing so he became the first Indian to break through the Canadian professional white-art barrier. His brilliance lies in his ability to break away from his own conventions, to constantly renew his vision.

Elizabeth McLuhan

1984