Indigenous Art

Indigenous Art at the National Gallery of Canada includes works from Aboriginal Peoples of Canada as well as art from indigenous peoples around the globe.

The collection of Indigenous Art includes many divergent artistic practices that operate outside of established western canons of art and art history. Many contemporary indigenous artists draw on their ancestral connections, combining these with their knowledge and engagement with contemporary international art practices. The resulting art is often a critique of current social conditions that are the consequence of colonial histories. The experience of forced assimilation, cultural repression, and displacement, common to many indigenous peoples are defining characteristics of these art forms.