Michael Belmore - thunder sky turbulent water
July 6th to August 24th, 2018
“The sky is home to animikiig - the thunderbirds, ancient manitous - or spirits - whose powers manifest in the rainfall, flashes of lightning, and the sound of thunder; while their counterparts, mishibizhiig - the under-water panthers - reside in the lower realms of water. With lynx-like bodies, metallic scales, horns and the tail of a serpent, mishibizhiig rule the lakes, rivers, caves, and deep crevices in the earth. The two were great enemies, it would seem, as many of our stories detail their ongoing conflicts that occurred along the shorelines, particularly those surrounding gichigami - Lake Superior. To be sure, the landscape of this region is imbued with their encounters as natural red copper - believed to be the blood of the two manitous - can be found in abundance throughout the territory. Yet, despite their discord, animikii and mishibizhiw are an inherently interconnected reciprocal pair, and the one cannot exist without the other.”
Alexandra Kahsenni:io Nahwegahbow
Artist Statement:
‘My use of copper inlays in my early work and subsequent art pieces represents the value that is inherent and often hidden in the land. This value is both monetary and universal: What you take from the land that you are standing on—what you learn, what you share, what you have to offer as a result of the land—has a deeper meaning that transcends monetary considerations and speaks directly to our values as human beings.’
Michael Belmore (Ojibway), a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, was born in 1971 north of Thunder Bay, Ontario. He holds an associated diploma (1994) in sculpture/installation from the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Ontario, and currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario. Belmore works in a variety of media including plastics, metal, wood, and stone. These materials are important to understanding his work, bringing into account how we view nature as a commodity. Belmore’s work has warranted numerous awards from the Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council, and Canadian Native Arts Foundation.
