Norval Morrisseau

Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) · artists

Norval Morrisseau (1932–2007), also known by his Anishinaabe name Miskwaabik Animiiki ("Copper Thunderbird"), was an Ojibwe artist from the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation near Lake Nipigon, Ontario. He founded the Woodland School of Art, a revolutionary style that combined Anishinaabe spiritual traditions with bold, colorful imagery using thick black outlines and vibrant colors. Morrisseau was the first Indigenous Canadian artist to have a solo exhibition at a major gallery (Pollock Gallery, Toronto, 1962), and his work opened doors for generations of First Nations artists. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and inducted into the Canadian Walk of Fame. His legacy as the grandfather of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada is profound and enduring.