Kent Monkman: Being Legendary

[sabotabby]

If you're anywhere near Toronto before March, you owe it to yourself to check out Kent Monkman's Being Legendary show at the ROM.  Monkman is hands-down one of my favourite contemporary artists—he creates some of the most technically spectacular, politically charged, and scathingly witty art I have seen. This is a show of entirely new pieces, combined with critical curation of some of the pieces in the ROM's collection. It's not just amazing paintings—though it would be worth it for the paintings alone—but an interrogation of the concept of museums and museum curation and its long history of colonialism and theft.

Also, I had no idea that Monkman's paintings were acrylic. I'd assumed he was working in oils from the luminous finish of his work. But no. He's just staggeringly talented.

Anyway. It's quite incredible.

Comments

[joymoose]

I had not heard of this. I will try to get into the city to see it. I saw an exhibition of his works at McMichael years ago.

[sabotabby]

It's been very poorly advertise imo. Which is odd as he's kind of a rockstar.

[radiantfracture]

Ah man I wish I had a trip to Tkaronto planned.

I am also surprised that they're not oils. I just think of any large fantastically detailed and vivid painting as an oil painting.

[sabotabby]

I think so too! And they're so glossy. But no, apparently all acrylic.

[blogcutter]

I'll definitely check out that exhibit if I make it to the Ontario Library Association's conference in February!

[sabotabby]

I hope you can!