Alex Janvier
/Alex Janvier
1935-2024
Alexander Janvier was a leading contemporary indigenous artist from Cold Lake First Nations, Alberta. Throughout his long and distinguished career he has expanded the scope of indigenous art in Canada and abroad. Since the 1960s he has been active and consistent in his artistic practice of incorporating post war abstract art into his own cultural language.
His paintings are iconic for their representations of the natural spiritual energy of the earth and its connection to every plant and animal. Vignettes of pulsing tightly rendered brushwork sit among open fields of colour. This contrast adds to the visual impact of the work. Often representational elements are mixed with non objective abstraction to suggest narratives relating to Janvier’s life. His work has been collected and exhibited by many leading public institutions around the country including major commissions by the Canadian Museum of Civilization and Art Gallery of Alberta, He is also featured in countless publications on Canadian Art.
