NORVAL MORRISSEAU
Thunderbird Man
Serigraph 90/99
Collection of the Dennos Museum Center
The Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College will present the exhibition Copper Thunderbird: Works by Norval Morrisseau from the Museum’s Collection September 20 – November 29, 2015.
Norval Morrisseau, (March 14, 1932 – December 4, 2007), was an artist known by many names and phrases. Born Jean-Baptiste Norman Henry Morrisseau, he was given the name Copper Thunderbird during an Anishinaabe renaming ceremony meant to cure him from illness when he was 19. After establishing his visionary style of the Woodland School of Art, some referred to Morrisseau as the “Picasso of the North.” With thick black lines and bright interior patterns, Morrisseau’s artwork was at first inspired by the many myths and legends of his Ojibwe culture. Later in life, the artist incorporated his personal struggles and religious imagery. As recognition for his work grew, Morrisseau became a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Art and the Order of Canada. In 2005, he became the first native artist to have a solo exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada.
The Morrisseau works are selected from a collection of over 100 works of art by the Canadian Woodland School of aboriginal artists that are part of the Dennos Collection.
This exhibition is being presented in recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day being observed in Traverse City with events at the Dennos on October 10-12.
This exhibition is made possible with support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Robert T. and Ruth Haidt Hughes Memorial Endowment Fund.
The Dennos Museum Center is open Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM, Thursday until 8 PM and Sundays 1-5 PM. Admission is $6.00 adults, $4.00 children and free to museum members. For more information on the Museum and its programs, go to www.dennosmuseum.org or call (231 995-1055. The Dennos Museum Center is located at 1410 College Drive, Traverse City, MI 49686, at the entrance to the campus of Northwestern Michigan College.