‘Early Days’ Explores Indigenous Art in New Exhibition

The Chrysler Museum of Art has unveiled Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, a landmark exhibition showcasing the diversity and vitality of Indigenous art in Canada. Running from May 24th to September 1st, 2024, this internationally renowned exhibit is the first comprehensive survey of Canadian Indigenous art to be presented outside of Canada.

Organized in collaboration with Indigenous scholars, knowledge keepers, and artists, Early Days features a stunning array of 111 objects spanning from 18th-century ceremonial regalia to contemporary works by leading Indigenous artists. Visitors will have the unique opportunity to experience the richness and complexity of Indigenous artistic traditions through beadwork garments, ceremonial masks, stone carvings, and much more.

This exhibition not only celebrates the enduring traditions of First Nations groups across Canada but also explores the powerful tensions and continuities between the past and present. It highlights the works of renowned artists such as Norval Morrisseau, Carl Beam, Alex Janvier, Kent Monkman, Meryl McMaster, and Rebecca Belmore, offering a definitive account of Indigenous art in Canada today.

Chelsea Pierce, McKinnon Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Chrysler Museum, emphasizes the importance of this exhibition in increasing Indigenous representation within the museum's collection. Alongside other initiatives like Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight, Clearly Indigenous, and the Tsenacommacah installation, Early Days demonstrates the museum's commitment to showcasing the rich diversity of Indigenous art and culture.

Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to explore the vibrant and transformative world of Indigenous art in Canada. Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection is a must-see for anyone interested in art, culture, and history.