Professional Native Indian Artists Inc. facts for kids

The Professional Native Indian Artists Incorporation (PNIAI) was a special group of First Nations artists from Canada. One artist was from the United States. They started in November 1973. These Indigenous painters showed their art in the main art world.

People often called them the Indian Group of Seven. Now, they are also known as the Indigenous Group of Seven. This nickname reminds people of the Group of Seven. That was another famous group of Canadian painters from the early 1900s.

The artists in the PNIAI were Daphne Odjig, Alex Janvier, Jackson Beardy, Eddy Cobiness, Norval Morrisseau, Carl Ray, and Joseph Sanchez.

How the Group Started

In 1972, three artists, Jackson Beardy, Alex Janvier, and Daphne Odjig, had an art show in Winnipeg. It was called Treaty Numbers 23, 287 and 1171. This name referred to the Numbered Treaties of the artists' home communities. This show helped bring modern Indigenous art to many Canadian art lovers. It showed their work as fine art, not just crafts.

After this exhibition, Daphne Odjig worked hard to bring the Professional Native Indian Artists Inc. together. She invited Alex Janvier, Jackson Beardy, Eddy Cobiness, Norval Morrisseau, Carl Ray, and Joseph Sanchez to her home in Winnipeg. They talked about their shared ideas and concerns about art. They officially formed their group in November 1973.

These meetings helped the artists feel like a community. They could also share ideas and give feedback on each other's work. In November 1973, they decided to make their group official. They wanted the Department of Indian Affairs to help fund them. All seven artists officially formed the PNIAI in February 1974. The Haida artist Bill Reid was also seen as an eighth member. He joined some of their shows.

A reporter named Gary Scherbain from the Winnipeg Free Press gave the PNIAI their nickname, the "Indian Group of Seven". This name connected them to the Group of Seven from the 1920s and 1930s. That earlier group painted Canadian landscapes in a style like impressionism.

The PNIAI had many group shows across Canada. The last show where all seven artists participated was in Montreal in 1975. The group then stopped working together that same year.

Their Lasting Impact

In 2013, the MacKenzie Art Gallery launched a big traveling exhibition about the group. It was called 7: Professional Native Indian Artists Inc.. Michelle LaVallee (Nawash Ojibway) organized this show. It traveled to many Canadian museums for several years. There is also a book about the exhibition.

In March 2020, Gallery Gevik in Toronto, Canada, held another exhibition. This gallery focuses on Canadian and Indigenous Art. Their show was also called Professional Native Indian Artists Inc. It featured art from all seven members of the group.

Their Goals and Ideas

The artists in the PNIAI worked together to promote Aboriginal art in the Western art world. They also had strong ideals to change how people viewed their art. They wanted people to focus on the "artistic" value of their work, not just that it was "Indigenous (Native)". Their main goals were:

• To create a fund to help artists paint.
• To find good commercial galleries to show and sell their art.
• To visit aboriginal communities to inspire young artists.
• To set up a trust fund using money from art sales. This fund would offer scholarships for new artists.

These were big goals for their time. Aboriginal peoples had only recently gained voting rights in Canada. They were also fighting for their civil rights. The PNIAI was part of a larger movement. Another group, the "Triple K Co-operative Incorporated", was also part of this movement. It was a Native-run silk-screen organization that started around the same time.

Even though the group was only together for a short time, their efforts were very important. They helped develop the concept of Indigenous Native art as a key part of Canadian culture. The group opened doors for younger generations. Now, their art can be recognized professionally.