Jeff Thomas (photographer) facts for kids

Jeff Thomas was born in 1956. He is a talented photographer, a person who organizes art shows (called a curator), and a thinker about culture from the Onondaga Nation. He lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Jeff Thomas is well-known for his photographs. His art often explores how First Nations people fit into modern Canadian life. He shows how old ideas about Indigenous people, like those seen in museums, are different from how they live today.

One of his famous projects is the "Indians on Tour" series, which started in 2000. In this series, he uses small figures that look like old-fashioned "Indians." He places these figures in modern settings, like city streets or famous places. His photos help show that First Nations people are a living part of today's world. He also has a series called "Vanishing Race," where he explores old, sometimes wrong, ideas about Indigenous people.

Jeff Thomas is the father of Ehren "Bear Witness" Thomas. Ehren is a member of the music group The Halluci Nation, which used to be called A Tribe Called Red.

Early Life and Background

Jeff Thomas was born in 1956 in Buffalo, New York. As he grew up, he spent time in Buffalo. He also lived on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve. This helped him understand both city life and Indigenous community life.

Jeff Thomas's Photography

Jeff Thomas's photography often shows the world from the view of an "urban Iroquoian person." He focuses on what he calls "symbols of Indian-ness." This means he looks at how Indigenous symbols and ideas are seen in society.

His artwork has been shown in many art galleries and museums. You can find his work across Canada, in the United States, and in parts of Europe. In 1997, a documentary film called "Shooting Indians: A Journey with Jeffrey Thomas" was made about him. This film was first shown at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Where You Can See His Art

Jeff Thomas's photographs are part of many important art collections. Here are some places where his work is kept:

• Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, Ottawa
• Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa
• Carleton University Art Gallery, Ottawa
• Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa
• Oakville Galleries, Oakville, Ontario
• Kamloops Art Gallery, Kamloops, B.C.
• National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
• MacLaren Art Centre, Barrie, Ontario
• Museum of the American Indian, Washington
• Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne, Switzerland
• Museum der Weltkulturen, Frankfurt, Germany
• The British Museum, London, England
• Ottawa Art Gallery, Ottawa
• Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg
• Woodland Cultural Centre, Brantford, Ontario

Selected Art Shows

Jeff Thomas has had many solo art shows where only his work was displayed. Here are some of them:

• 2024: Stories My Father Couldn't Tell Me: Jeff Thomas Origin, Ottawa Art Gallery
• 2008: Com·mem·o·ra·tion, MacLaren Art Centre, Barrie, Ontario
• 2008: Who’s your Daddy?: Four Hundred Years Later, Karsh/Mason Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario
• 2008: Don’t Mess with the Pediment, Stephen Bulger Gallery, Toronto
• 2008: Drive By: A Road Trip with Jeff Thomas, University of Toronto Art Centre, Toronto, Ontario
• 2007: Jeff Thomas: Traces of Iroquois Medicine, Ontario Museum of Archaeology, London, Ontario
• 2006: Jeff Thomas: A Study of Indian-ness, Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta; Grunt Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
• 2004–2005: Jeff Thomas: A Study of Indian-ness, Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, Brandon, Winnipeg; Regina, Saskatchewan; Toronto, Ontario
• 2004: Scouting for Indians, the Oakville Galleries, Oakville, Ontario
• 2001: Scouting for Indians, Artspace, Peterborough, Ontario; American Community House, New York City
• 2001: Lurking in the Shadows, Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne, Switzerland
• 2001: Geronimo Was in Here, The Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo, New York
• 2000: Scouting for Indians, Carleton University Art Gallery, Ottawa, Ontario

Awards and Recognition

Jeff Thomas has received important awards for his work. In 2008, he won the Karsh Award in Photography. In 2019, he was given the Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts. This is one of Canada's highest honors for artists.