Norval Morrisseau, also called Copper Thunderbird, is among the most significant artists of the 20th century. Referred to as the grandfather of Canada’s contemporary Indigenous art for his creation of a new visual language—one inspired in part by the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation practices and oral histories passed on to him by his grandfather. Morrisseau created a visual connection between the past and present through his art using a modern style of two-dimensional shapes, bold black outlines, and unblended vibrant colors. A founder of the Woodland School of painting and the Professional Native Indian Artists Inc., the breadth of his influence continues to grow.
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