Artist Talk: Kent Monkman
Cree artist Kent Monkman presents a public lecture at Mia in connection with the exhibition of his 2009 painting Death of Adonis. A member of ocêkwi sîpiy (Fisher River Cree Nation) in Manitoba, Monkman explores themes of colonization, sexuality, loss, and resilience—the complexities of historic and contemporary Indigenous experiences—across painting, film, performance, and installation.
In this lecture, Monkman delves into his artistic influences and the narratives that shaped works like Death of Adonis. He’ll touch on themes including the Hudson River School tradition of romanticized American landscapes, the near destruction of buffalo on the Plains in the 19th century, and contemporary Indigenous efforts to restore buffalo populations through campaigns such as the Buffalo Treaty.
Monkman will wrap up his talk with a preview of works from his latest series “Knowledge Keepers,” which depicts Indigenous children in residential “schools,” or work camps. These paintings show how stolen moments of intimacy, comfort, and tenderness between the children become acts of resistance, fierce hope, and cultural resilience.