Artist Subverts History with Mischievous Muse

Cree artist Kent Monkman is exhibiting at the Frick Collection, an institution known for its traditional works. His exhibition, "Officer and Laughing Girl," draws inspiration from a 17th-century Vermeer painting. Monkman's work, often featuring his alter ego Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, engages with historical narratives, placing Indigenous figures alongside colonial figures and even contemporary personalities like Jeff Bezos.

Monkman, a two-spirit artist, uses his art to question dominant historical accounts and colonial impacts. His commissioned paintings for the Frick, developed with curator Aimee Ng, reinterpret Vermeer's composition to reflect centuries of interactions between Indigenous groups and white settlers. This includes figures like Gen. George Custer and Sitting Bull.

The exhibition arrives at a time of resurgent nationalist discourse. Monkman's approach aims to provoke thought and challenge audiences' perceptions of history, asking whose history is being told and whether it is universally acknowledged. The artist has previously addressed the devastation of the colonial project and policies of dispossession in his work.

Monkman's artistic universe also includes recurring motifs like beavers, seen in his public art installations in Toronto and his designs for exhibition wallpaper. These elements, along with Miss Chief, provide accessible entry points for viewers engaging with complex themes. His career began with illustration work, offering financial stability and marketing skills.

With significant control over his career, Monkman pursues ambitious projects, including potential new engagements with abstract painting and plans for a museum on his estate. His creative process involves extensive research, photography, and collaboration with assistants and models to bring his historically informed yet subversive visions to life.