Bear, Bird, Fish and Chicks 1995

Curator: Norval Morrisseau's 1995 acrylic painting, "Bear, Bird, Fish and Chicks," presents a vibrant composition using bold colors and thick, black outlines to depict interconnected animal forms. What strikes you upon first glance? Editor: The color palette immediately grabs my attention – the turquoise juxtaposed with the fiery red creates an intriguing tension, almost suggesting two separate realms within the single canvas. There is an almost playful dynamism through how the various biomorphic shapes interlock and are stacked. Curator: Morrisseau was a groundbreaking Anishinaabe artist. His works are deeply rooted in the pictographic traditions and spiritual beliefs of his people, he often revealed sacred knowledge. Note the consistent line weight outlining each distinct area of flat color – it produces an organized composition that emphasizes each animal’s symbolic role. Editor: Absolutely. The iconography seems almost dreamlike; for instance, how the bear envelops the birds nestled near what I presume is the fish shape above, I get a sense of maternal protection. Then those orbs float above, creating another layer of symbolic elements possibly suggestive of worlds beyond our own. Curator: Precisely. Morrisseau masterfully interweaves interconnectedness through generations within his animal forms. Note too the employment of "x-ray style," to highlight their inner spirits – a trait typical to Morrisseau’s innovative way of presenting Ojibwe cosmology. It offers viewers entry into these spiritual dimensions. Editor: And these colors. He often painted what was seen to him in his vision quests—I wonder how they reflect these visions? The contrast that the green-on-red, versus the similar colors blue-on-blue offers more questions to ponder. Are these inversions to provide different perspectives to ponder this interwoven-ness? Curator: Intriguing readings of color are indeed central to considering how meaning-making operates here. The painting also deploys an element of symmetry as the animals ascend the panel and connect the different color planes. What starts out as binary opposition yields harmonious integration as they rise together. Editor: It seems to advocate for nature’s balance through visual means, reminding us that diverse existence are necessary through those simple, declarative shapes and lines. I’m struck by the enduring impact of images when imbued with personal narrative, especially here where Morrisseau renders something undeniably universal within his cosmology. Curator: It leaves me reflecting on Morrisseau’s skill in expressing this balance with forms abstracted in bold outline, demonstrating the interconnectedness and equilibrium necessary for this shared ecosystem.