Kent Monkman
Kent Monkman
1965 -
OC
Kent Monkman is a Canadian First Nations artist who targets the various hierarchies of colonialism and oppression through his paintings. Born in 1965 to Cree and Irish parents, Monkman is a member of the Fish River band in Northern Manitoba. He works through various mediums and styles, promoting his political activism through painting, film, video and installation.
Throughout his early adulthood, Monkman attended various educational institutions, including the Banff Centre, the Sundance Institute and the Canadian Training Institute, before graduating from Sheridan College in 1989 with a Bachelor’s degree in Canadian art. Monkman’s work often mimics historical Canadian painting, such as Paul Kane or the Group of Seven. Through the careful construction of his complex compositions, Monkman addresses the emotions felt by the indigenous communities of Canada.
A strong advocate for the two-spirited and LGBTQ+ community, Monkman often includes the image of his alter ego Miss Chief Eagle Testickle. By using his alias as a common leitmotif in his works, Monkman sheds light on consumerism and capitalism in pop culture. As a result of his politically reflexive works, Monkman was awarded the Bonham Centre Award in 2017 from the University of Toronto. The same year, he was named the Grand Marshal for the Toronto Pride Parade.
Monkman has had many solo exhibitions at museums and galleries across Canada, the US and Europe. He had his first solo show in 1993 called Polarities, held at Monte Clarke Gallery in Vancouver. Throughout his extensive career he has also exhibited at the Royal Ontario Museum and the Indian Art Centre, among others. In 2017, the Art Museum at the University of Toronto had a solo show for Monkman titled Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience. In 2019, Monkman accepted a commission from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to produce two large-scale works to hang in the museum’s Great Hall.
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Charged Particles in Motion by Kent Monkman sold for $87,750
Kent Monkman
Charged Particles in Motion
48 x 72 in, 121.9 x 182.9 cm
2007
acrylic on canvas
Estimate: $50,000 - $60,000 CDN
Sold for: $87,750 CDN (premium included)
Fall 2010 - 1st Session on Thursday, November 25, 2010
Kindred Spirits Share Mysteries of the Ancient Ones by Kent Monkman sold for $32,175
Kent Monkman
Kindred Spirits Share Mysteries of the Ancient Ones
36 x 48 in, 91.4 x 121.9 cm
acrylic on canvas
Estimate: $30,000 - $40,000 CDN
Sold for: $32,175 CDN (premium included)
Spring 2011 - 1st Session on Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Mind, Body, Spirit by Kent Monkman sold for $16,250
Kent Monkman
Mind, Body, Spirit
31 x 72 in, 78.7 x 182.9 cm
1992
oil on board triptych
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000 CDN
Sold for: $16,250 CDN (premium included)
Post-War & Contemporary Art on Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Miss Chief: The Emergence of a Legend by Kent Monkman sold for $10,530
Kent Monkman
Miss Chief: The Emergence of a Legend
,
2006
chromogenic prints on metallic paper
Estimate: $10,000 - $12,000 CDN
Sold for: $10,530 CDN (premium included)
Fall 2011 - 1st Session on Thursday, November 24, 2011
Faint Heart 27, 148 by Kent Monkman sold for $7,500
Kent Monkman
Faint Heart 27, 148
12 x 9 in, 30.5 x 22.9 cm
watercolour on paper
Estimate: $3,000 - $5,000 CDN
Sold for: $7,500 CDN (premium included)
Post-War & Contemporary Art on Thursday, September 27, 2018