KENT MONKMAN:
History Is Painted by the Victors
September 27, 2025 – March 8, 2026
The Montreal Museum of Fines Arts (MMFA) presents the Canadian premiere of the exhibition by Kent Monkman that brings together some 40 of his monumental paintings. The exhibition includes works on loan from Canadian and American museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, some private collectors, and also a selection from the MMFA's permanent collection.
Mokman is a figurative painter par excellence, who draws and creates human bodies on his canvases with the precision of the classical painters of past eras. He is also a superb calorist, who generously uses the rainbow gamut of bright colours to dazzles his audience. His huge canvases are not only striking but also quite overpowering, bringing the viewer inside the dramatic universe of his imagination.
The story narratives that Monkman creates on canvases are quite uniquely portrayed. They are interlaced with historical elements, mythology, and his personal interpretation of the historical past. His detailed compositions are strongly dramatic, complex and monumental. Yet, they are extremely elegant, and the language of his colours is striking. A number of his compositions seem to be inspired by the great painters of the past.
Credits and curatorial team
The exhibition was organized by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Denver Art Museum. It was curated by Léuli Eshrāghi, Curator of Indigenous Practices at the MMFA, and John Lukavic, the Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Native Arts, Denver Art Museum.
For those curious about Monkman’s artistic creative process, do not miss to watch the short documentary filmed in his studio. The screen is located on the wall to the right when one comes up the staircase and before entering the exhibition halls. His studio is very much like those of the medieval painters who had a number of assistants performing various task ranging from helping with some painting details and taking care of organizational and studio needs.
Visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts website for more information and to purchase your tickets online.
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Also check my previous article about Kent Monkman in this blog.
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