Kent Monkman's History Paintings Confront Colonial Narratives at Akron Art Museum

The Akron Art Museum is currently featuring an important mid-career exhibit titled "Kent Monkman: History Is Painted by the Victors," spotlighting the remarkable works of Cree artist Kent Monkman, who was born in 1965. This collection challenges colonial narratives by reimagining historical art, discussing pressing issues like the climate crisis, Indigenous governance, intergenerational trauma, and the experiences of Two-Spirit, queer, and trans Indigenous communities. After successful tours from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and Denver Art Museum, Akron is the only Midwest venue hosting this exhibit. It showcases over twenty years of Monkman's work, with pieces from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and private collections, curated by Léuli Eshrāghi and John Lukavic. The museum's CEO, Jon Fiume, acknowledged its location on the ancestral lands of several Indigenous nations. Monkman is also known for his gender-fluid character, Miss Chief Eagle Testickle.