CARL BEAM
1943-2005
Carl Beam is considered one of Canada’s most influential artists. An Ojibwe painter, printmaker, performance artist and sculptor from M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island ON, he created complex works centred around both historical and contemporary issues facing Indigenous culture within a colonial context. His work and commentary seem as vital today as when they were first created.
During his art school training, he was influenced by American Pop artists Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg for their collaging of images, and Andy Warhol for his use of photo-silkscreen processes. His most influential work is considered to be the masterful Columbus Suite from 1990.
There are no easy answers revealed in Beam’s art, and his power lies in his ability to challenge our perceptions. Carl Beam’s work is held in most major public collections in Canada.
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