Lori Blondeau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lori Blondeau
|
|
---|---|
Born | 1964 (age 60–61) Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
|
Education | University of Saskatchewan |
Known for | Performance art, sculpture, installation |
Awards | Governor General's Award (2021) |
Lori Blondeau (born in 1964) is a talented Cree, Saulteaux, and Métis artist. She is best known for her exciting performance art. She also creates amazing installations and photography. Lori Blondeau is a member of the Gordon First Nation. She lives and works in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Contents
Early Life and Artistic Journey
Lori Blondeau was born in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1964. From a young age, she was inspired by her family. Her mother and grandmother taught her the power of storytelling. Her grandfather was a woodworker, and her mother was a quilter. Her brother, Edward Poitras, is also an artist. All these influences helped shape her artistic path.
Lori Blondeau earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in 2003. This is a special degree for artists. In the 1990s, she spent three years learning from Luiseño performance artist James Luna in California. This experience was very important for her art.
In 1995, she helped start Tribe. This is a special place run by artists. It helps show the work of modern First Nations artists in Canada.
Exploring Identity Through Art
Much of Lori Blondeau's art explores how First Nations women are sometimes shown incorrectly in movies, TV, and other media. She looks at how old ideas, sometimes called "stereotypes," affect how Indigenous women are seen today. She uses her art to challenge these ideas.
For example, in her photo artworks like COSMOSQUAW (1996) and Lonely Surfer Squaw (1997), Lori Blondeau acts out these stereotypes. She then changes them to show a new, stronger message.
Some of her important performance artworks include The Ballad of Shameman and Betty Daybird (2000), Are You my Mother? (2000), Sisters (2000), and A Moment in the Life of Belle Sauvage (2002).
Lori Blondeau often works with other artists. One of her frequent partners is performance artist Adrian Stimson. In 2004, they had an exhibition called Buffalo Boy and Belle Sauvage: Putting the WILD Back into the West. This show was at the Mendel Art Gallery. In it, Stimson played Buffalo Boy and Blondeau played her character Belle Sauvage. Their art offered an Indigenous way of looking at cowboy stories. It made people think about how different groups are shown. She has also worked with famous artists like James Luna and Shelley Niro.
Lori Blondeau has also been a member of the Aboriginal Curatorial Collective. This group helps support Indigenous art and artists.
In October 2015, she performed "The Birds, The Bees, The Berries" with Adrian Stimson. This performance was part of a special event at the Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan. The artwork talked about threats to bee populations and how everything in nature is connected. It showed how environmental issues affect communities everywhere.
Key Artworks and Shows
- Sovereign Acts II, 2017, Leonard & Bina Ellen Gallery, Montreal, Qc
- Pilgrims of the Wild, 2016, Marvin Francis Media Gallery, Winnipeg, MB
Founding Tribe: A Hub for Indigenous Art
In September 1995, Lori Blondeau helped create Tribe. Its full name is Tribe: A Centre for the Evolving Aboriginal Media, Visual and Performing Arts Inc. She started it with Bradlee LaRocque, April Brass, and Denny Norman. Today, Lori Blondeau is the executive director of Tribe. Tribe is a special art center that works with different galleries. It helps bring attention to Indigenous art and important issues.
One of Tribe's recent projects was an exhibition called The Fifth World. It was shown at Saskatoon's Mendel Art Gallery, which is now the Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan. The show's title came from a Hopi prophecy. It talked about a choice between fighting and living in peace. It also shared the idea that we all share the Earth and are connected to it and to each other.
Sharing Stories in "The Pass System"
Lori Blondeau shared her voice in a documentary film called The Pass System. She told personal and family stories about how the Canadian government's "pass system" affected Indigenous communities. This system, which lasted for 60 years, limited where Indigenous people could go. The film also featured other well-known Indigenous artists and activists, like Alex Janvier and Tantoo Cardinal. The film was directed by Alex Williams and produced by Tamarack Productions. It first showed at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2015.
Awards and Recognition
- Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts (2021)