Return to the House of Invention

by Norval; Morrisseau Joseph Morrisseau

A breathtaking retrospective of Canadas most important Native artist.Norval Morrisseau is perhaps the greatest Native artist ever to have lived. He is a shaman, a storyteller and the inspiration for one of Canadas most vibrant and exciting art movements, the Woodland School of Art. Through his magical paintings he has given new life to ancient Native legends and fables and has helped to restore the dignity of his once-proud people. This new edition introduces numerous previously unpublished works to the book, as well as commentaries by collectors who have followed Morrisseaus artistic development through the decades. It also includes Duke Redbirds The Ballad of Noval Morrisseau, a deeply spiritual poem that personifies the power the artists paintings have for his people. A true celebration of the art and life of this remarkable man, Norval Morrisseau: Return to the House of Invention, provides insights into the artists imagination and mastery of his medium. In three essays, and the quotations that accompany the paintings, we learn about Morrisseaus approach to his work and the important historical and cultural influences that shaped his art. He tells us, in his own words, about his travels to the dream-like House of Invention, his source of inspiration for both content and colour. In Norval Morrisseau: Return to the House of Invention, we learn of the myths and legends of his ancestors, which had a profound influence on his brush, and how they relate to his work. The book now contains paintings and other pieces created over Morrisseaus entire career . It is complemented by an essay by Donald C. Robinson, in which he describes the painters unique approach to the physical act of painting, and explains how Morrisseau has developed as a master technician and colorist despite having little formal training.Norval Morrisseau is truly one of the most original and significant artists Canada has ever produced. This exceptional volume stands as a testament to both his incredible talent as a painter and his inspiring depth as a man.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2005

Reviews

[Tracee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It gets pretty repetitive, honestly.
I found it interesting that it was seeing the grey old masters such as Picasso and Van Gogh inspired him to paint in bright colours. I don’t particularly think of Picasso or Van Gogh grey, but…ok.

[Kristine Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can't be an art lover living in Toronto and not bump into the art of Norval Morrisseau. Whether during a visit to the AGO or McMichael or walking past the display window of an art gallery - his colourful work makes an impression. Beyond seeing his work here and there, I've neither studied and nor thought much about whether or not I like it, however, I am attracted to the colours used in most works coming out of the Woodland Art movement. With a nice hot tea in hand, reading the essays and reviewing the collection in this book - mostly from the early 1990s - was not a bad way to spend a few hours over the last few days.

I learned a few interesting things: Norval Morrisseau went against tradition and the wishes of his people when he started to share his spiritual images publicly with white settlers. The Woodland Art movement is "the only unique and widespread Native art movement that arose in the Northeast". Compared that to the art of the Inuit, and the Northwest Coast (Haida) and Southwest Coast (Salish). The colour in his paintings are believed to have healing properties. Norval stresses that knowing what kind of fish or animal you see is not important, rather it's about the colour. He was driven to use bright colours after a trip to Europe and seeing the dark works of the famous European artists.

[Whole And · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continued beautiful insights into Norval Morrisseau's life and passion for the art he created to beautify the world.

We enjoyed diving into his art, personal history and voyage into his spirit realm as our artist in focus project.

[Abe Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing art from native canadian shaman copper thunderbird - norval morrisseau.

[Arlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible art and a few interesting essays.