Jordan Bennett (artist) facts for kids

Jordan Bennett was born in 1986. He is a Canadian artist who creates many different kinds of art. He is a member of the Qalipu First Nation from Stephenville Crossing, Newfoundland. This area is also known as Ktaqamkuk. Jordan Bennett is married to another artist, Amy Malbeuf.

Bennett uses many art forms in his work. These include painting, silkscreening, sculpture, video, and sound. Since 2008, his art has been shown in over 75 exhibitions. These shows have been both in Canada and around the world. One important exhibition was Beat Nation: Art, Hip Hop and Aboriginal Culture. This show traveled across Canada from 2012 to 2014.

Jordan Bennett's Education

Bennett studied art at Grenfell Campus. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 2008. This college is in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.

Later, he earned a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) Degree in 2016. He got this degree from the University of British Columbia Okanagan. This campus is in Kelowna, British Columbia. For his MFA, Bennett focused on old art forms. He wanted to bring the traditional art of the Beothuk and Mi’kmaq peoples into modern art.

In 2016, Bennett also took part in the Earthline Tattoo Training Residency. He is a proud member of the Qalipu First Nation.

What Inspires Jordan Bennett's Art?

Jordan Bennett's art is often interactive. This means viewers can be part of the art experience. He uses many types of media to create art that surrounds you. His works use a wide range of materials.

He gets many ideas from Mi'kmaq and Beothuk designs. These include porcupine quill designs, baskets, and beadwork. He also finds inspiration in clothing and petroglyphs (ancient rock carvings).

Bennett's art explores important ideas. These include land, language, and family history. He also addresses how Indigenous history has been misunderstood in Canada.

Art About Youth and Culture

Bennett's art often shows the lives of Indigenous youth in cities. For example, his 2009 work, jilaqami’g no’shoe, is a skateboard. But it is carved to look like a snowshoe. This piece connects Indigenous skater culture with traditional ways of life.

Another famous work is Turning Tables (2010). This piece was part of the Beat Nation exhibition. It is a mixing table made from different kinds of wood. When a record needle touches it, you hear the sound of the tree's rights. This art shows how old knowledge can still be important in our digital world.

For his master's degree, Bennett studied Mi’kmaq and Beothuk art from Ktaqamkuk. He was inspired by drawings from Shanawdithit. She was the last known living member of the Beothuk people.

Jordan Bennett also works with Amy Malbeuf. They call their collaboration Neon Kokhom. They use humor to talk about Indigenous stereotypes. They want to show how these stereotypes are used in Canada's souvenir industry.

Jordan Bennett's Career

Earthline Tattoo Collective

Jordan Bennett learned tattooing from Dion Kaszas, an artist from the Nlaka'pamux people. After this, Bennett, Métis artist Amy Malbeuf, and Kaszas started something special. They created an Indigenous tattoo group called Earthline Tattoo. This group helps bring back traditional Indigenous tattoo practices in Canada.

In 2016, they held a training program. Six Indigenous artists were invited to learn tattooing based on Indigenous traditions. The Initiative for Indigenous Futures helped support this program. It was hosted at the University of British Columbia Okanagan.

Solo Art Shows

Jordan Bennett has had many art shows where only his work is displayed. Here are some of them:

• Ketu' elmita'jik, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, NS (2018-2019)
• Wije'wi (Come with me), Estevan Art Gallery, Estevan SK (2018)
• Wije'wi (Come with me), Grenfell Art Gallery, Corner Brook, NL (2017)
• Herd:Heard, Regart, Manif 8-La Biennale Quebec, Quebec City (2017)
• Mniku, Vernon Public Art Gallery, Vernon, BC (2016)
• Billy Jacking, Gallery 2, Grand Forks, BC (2015)
• Ice Fishing, Trinity Square Video, Toronto, ON (2014)
• Guidelines-The Basket Ladies, Grenfell Art Gallery, Corner Brook, NL (2014)
• Horseback or Foot: Flattened and Confused, Project Space Gallery, RMIT, Melbourne, AUS. (As Neon Kohkom, with Amy Malbeuf) (2014)
• Jordan Bennett- Shamans and Superheros, SNAP Gallery, Edmonton, AB (2013)

Group Art Shows

Bennett's art has also been shown in many group exhibitions. These are shows with art from several artists. Here are some of them:

• Sans reserve, Musée d'Art Contemporain du Val-de-Marne, Paris, FR (2017)
• A Going Concern: Contemporary Textiles And Everyday Politics In Newfoundland And Labrador, The Rooms, St.Johns, NL (2017)
• Mi’kmaq Word of the Day, Eastern Edge Art Gallery, St.John’s, NL (2017)
• Transformer: Native art in light and sound, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian, NYC (2017)
• ArtSci, Cape Breton University Art Gallery, Sydney, NS (2017)
• Art in the Tunnels-From here to there: then and now, Ottawa, ON (2017)
• Coyote School, The McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton, ON (2017)
• Insurgence/Resurgence, Winnipeg Art Gallery, MB (2017)
• Insurgence/Resurgence, Winnipeg Art Gallery, MB (As Earthline Tattoo Collective) (2017)
• Samqwan-Nipiy (with Lori Blondeau), Charlottetown, PEI Flotilla presented by AKA Artist Run Centre (2017)
• Museum of Capitalism, Oakland, California (2017)
• Canadian Imago Mundi, Palazzo Loredan, Campo Santo Stefano, Venice Italy (2017)
• Shared Lands, Action Art Actuel, Musée des Abénakis, Odanak, QC (2017)
• Boarder X, The Winnipeg Art Gallery, MB (2016)
• If We Never Met, Pataka Museum, Porirua City, NZ (2016)
• Convergence: space and time in contemporary Indigenous art in Canada, Canadian Embassy, Ottawa, ON (2016)
• Aja-sit, Campbell River Art Gallery, BC (2016)
• With Secrecy and Despatch, Campbelltown Art Centre, Campbelltown, NSW, AUS (2016)
• Culture Shift- Aboriginal Art Biennale, Art Mur, Montreal, QC (As Neon Kohkom) (2016)
• The Fifth World, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, ON (2016)
• Shared Lands, Toured Nationally (2013-2016)
• Under the Surface: 2015 Venice Biennale, Galleria Ca’ Rezzonico, Venice, Italy (2015)
• Hip-Hop: From the Bronx to the Arab Streets, Arab World Institute, Paris, France (2015)
• The Fifth World- TRIBE Inc, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK (2015)
• Atlantic Canada Biennale, McCain Art Gallery, Florenceville-Bristol, NB (2015)
• Decolonize Me- Toured Nationally (2011-2015)
• Noongwa (Now/Today), Gallery 101, Ottawa, ON (2014)
• Storytelling: The Contemporary Native Art Biennial, 2nd Edition: Art Mur, Montreal, QC (2014)
• Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation Toured Nationally (2012-2014)
• Changing Tides: Contemporary Art in Newfoundland and Labrador, McMichael Art Gallery, Kleinburg, ON (2014)
• Beat Nation: Art, Hip-Hop and Aboriginal Culture, Dalhousie Art Gallery and St. Mary’s University Art Gallery, Halifax, NS; Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina, SK (2012- 2014)
• Bury My Art, Wounded Knee-Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR (2013)
• Aboriginal Voice, Galerie d'art Louise et Reuben-Cohen, Moncton, NB (2013)
• WANDERLUST, Textile Museum of Canada, Toronto, ON (2012)
• 25 for 25, The Rooms, St.Johns, NL (2012)
• L’nuk (with Ursula A. Johnson): Anna Leonowens Art Gallery, Halifax, NS (2010-2012)
• Landwash Exhibition-Contemporary Newfoundland Art- Esplande Art Gallery, Medicine Hat, AB (2012)
• Contrary Projects in Venice: An Aboriginal Art Intervention at the Venice Biennale 2011, Venice, Italy (2011)
• 50-500 Members Show, Urban Shaman Gallery, Winnipeg, MB (2011)
• Problem Child -Group Exhibition, The Rooms, St.Johns, NL (2011)
• ACTING-out, Claiming Space: Aboriginal Performance Art Series, Modern Fuel Artist Run Centre, Kingston, OM (2011)
• RE:counting coup, A Space Gallery, Toronto, On (2010)
• Red Runners, The new objectification of Native Art and Identity- Group Exhibition, Well and Good Gallery, Toronto, ON (2010)
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, TRC, The Forks Plaza, Winnipeg, MB (2010)
• The 1 of 1 Project, Sk8 Skates, Winnipeg, MB (2010)
• Vancouver 2010 Aboriginal Art Exhibition, Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver, BC (2009)
• All Nighters, Graduate Show, Sir Wilfred Grenfell College Art Gallery, Corner Brook, NL (2009)
• Defining Moments, Yukon Arts Centre, Whitehorse, Yukon (2009)
• Art in a Suitcase, Relais de la Baie, Noyelle, France (2009)
• Harlow Campus Exhibition, Harlow Campus Trust, Old Harlow, Essex, England (2009)

Film Screenings

Jordan Bennett's video art has also been shown at film festivals:

• Ice Fishing, (Film World premiere) imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival- Toronto, ON (2015)
• Guidelines, The Basket Ladies (Film World premiere) imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival- Toronto, ON (2013)

Awards and Grants

Jordan Bennett has received many awards and grants for his art. Some of these include:

• Reveal Award, Hnatyshan Foundation (2017)
• Aboriginal Peoples Collaborative Exchange, Canada Council for the Arts (2017)
• Aboriginal/Inuit Traditional Visual Art Forms Grant, Canada Council for the Arts (2017)
• Sobey Art Award- Long list (2016, 2015)
• Canada Graduate Scholarships, Master’s (CGS M), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (2015)
• Aboriginal Graduate Scholarship, University of British Columbia Okanagan (2015, 2014)
• Indspire Award, Graduate Studies (2014)
• ARTINFO 30 under 30, Blouin Artinfo Canada (2014)
• Artist of the Year Award, Newfoundland And Labrador Arts Council (2014)
• National Film Board of Canada/imagineNATIVE Interactive Digital Project (2014)
• Hnatyshyn Foundation: Charles Pacther Prize for Emerging Artists (2012)
• Emerging Artist of the Year Award, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council (2012)
• Large Year Award, Excellence in Visual Arts Newfoundland (2012)
• Professional Artist Production Grant, Canada Council for the Arts (2011)
• Emerging Artist of the Year Award, Corner Brook Sustainability Awards (2011)
• Memorial University Medallion for Academic Excellence in Visual Arts (2008)