Name Clifford Maracle | ||
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Clifford Lloyd Maracle (1944–1996) was from the Mohawk Nation, Tyendinaga Reserve near Deseronto, Ontario. Both a painter and a sculptor, he was best known for his depictions of the plight of urban Indians in the 1970s. He was associated with Arthur Shilling and Gary Miller (artist), and was influenced by Fritz Scholder, Francis Bacon, Karel Appel and Edvard Munch. He did not rely on traditional motifs but rather established himself as a leader of a new expressionistic style among First Nations artists.
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Background and work
Maracle came from a large family of 10 children but his father left the family when the children were young. His mother received pressure from social workers who believed a single mother could not successfully raise the children; eventually, they left the reserve to avoid the conflicts. These events may have contributed to Maracle's strong feelings towards the injustices and prejudices his people endured. Maracle attended East Elgin Secondary School in Aylmer, Ontario, studied fine art at George Brown College, obtained an Honours Graduate degree from the Ontario College of Art in Toronto, and completed a Native Journalism course at the University of Western Ontario. Maracle expressed himself (as did other Canadian modernist painters such as Carl Beam and Robert Houle) as an individual sometimes using identifiable native imagery and sometimes not, making irrelevant the debate of “authentically Indian” Maracle moved beyond the notion that all native artists draw their subjects from myth and legends and showed works based on political issues and ideas. By challenging the stereotypes of “Indian Art”, Maracle found new ways of presenting the political moment by making audiences aware of the complex realities of aboriginal life. In 1984 Maracle affixed his Indian photo-identity card to his painting “Changing Reserve” to personalize his outrage at the squalor he saw around him and his humiliation at having to live as a numbered ward of the federal government.
Maracle’s work was filled with emotion as he cared deeply about the human condition. Many of his works were kinetic, depicting native dancers, historical events, animals, athletes (in particular hockey players since he was an avid hockey player for years). He had the ability to rapidly capture the images in his mind, sketch multiple versions, and follow on with the painting normally on plywood or canvas. Political works such as “Grey Past” explore the nefarious treatment of First Nation people (see Figure 1). It depicts images reminiscent of the mass slaughter of the Buffalo, the purposeful distribution of smallpox blankets, and a red line hinting at the trail of blood left behind in actions against First Nations and Métis people such as at the Battle of Batoche, all the while on a grey background. Maracle’s dark humor is brought to light in his painting entitled “The Plight of the Urban Indian”. It depicts three figures standing together: one has a gaping mouth with white teeth that glare out, another appears sombre with a drooping head, while the third appears complacent. A card adjacent to the installation described how the figures were meant to demonstrate the maladjustments, dislocations and disorientations of Natives within a dominant society that is sometimes hostile. The dark and brooding images explore the vapid nature of popular culture depicting subjects with torn spirits and disregard for the banality of urban life. Such works also explore the dichotomy of trying to live as an urban Native, and the divisions within the inner soul of man. Maracle’s work entitled “Blue Indian Thinking” from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection has been widely acclaimed. His "City Indian" phase was largely abandoned after he left Toronto. Maracle was known to have had a great sense of humor, was generally pleasant, well educated and articulate in many respects. However, Maracle often suffered through periods of depression connected to alcoholism and found it difficult to accept his success as a painter and sculptor. Far from being focused only on political and social issues, also prevalent in many of his works are the themes of hope and joy such as in the playful “An Early Morning Climb” (see Figure 2). His work can be found in the McMichael Canadian Art Collection (Kleinburg, ON), the Canadian Museum of Civilization (Gatineau, QC), the Woodland Cultural Centre (Brantford, ON), and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (Gatineau, QC). The installation of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery Collection Spotlight series featured four large portrait paintings by Maracle. Maracle’s artwork has been included in numerous group exhibitions since the mid/late 1970’s, including the recent group exhibition “Oh So Iroquois”, curated by Ryan Rice for The Ottawa Art Gallery.
Solo Shows
1985 Clifford Maracle: Paintings and Sculpture - Galerie Dresdnere, Toronto, ON
1994 Hard Edge Psychological Revelation - Maslak McLeod Canadian Art, Santa Fe, NM
Group shows
1983 Indian Art '83 - Woodland Cultural Educational Centre, Brantford, ON
2007 Oh So Iroquois - Ottawa Art Gallery, Ottawa, ON
2010 Oh So Iroquois - Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, Brandon, Manitoba
2012 Permanent Collection Spotlight – Thunder Bay Art Gallery. Thunder Bay, ON
2013 First People Land and Sky - Ingram Gallery, Toronto, ON
2013 First Nations Art 2013, Woodland Cultural Educational Centre, Brantford, ON
Collections
Nickle Arts Museum
McMichael Art Collection
Thunder Bay Art Gallery