I really enjoyed Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun’s exhibition at the MOA. At first I was drawn into the exhibition by the vibrancy and composition of his acrylic paintings but the framing of the subject matter and the contemporary stylistic expression is what kept me wondering through the gallery looking for more answers. His use of aesthetics at an intersection with politics and Aboriginal issues is a fascinating approach in providing a source of discourse regarding issues relating to British Columbia, land, resources, colonial despoliation, western values/hierarchies, indigenous culture and Canadian society/history.
What I like in particular about the series of paintings and the painting I chose to discuss was how Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun chose to use cultural form to interpret concepts and contexts of oppression, western privilege, and conflict. The image titled “5 of the G-7 Boys” (acrylic on canvas, 2012) is in part of a series that showcases political leaders in relation to “pure colonial power” over Indigenous land and it’s peoples. He showcases the representatives as predators and supports the figure’s dominance through composition, saturation of colour and use of indigenous cultural artistic form.
Overall, I find the exhibition to be a great catalyst for educators and students wanting to discuss and bring an awareness to issues relating to colonization, Aboriginal culture and history through an artistic approach that brings together faceted perspectives of our society in relation to Aboriginal peoples and their history.