'Indian Group of Seven' artist Daphne Odjig dead at 97
Internationally acclaimed painter and printmaker helped pave way for generation of Indigenous artists
Canadian Indigenous painter and printmaker Daphne Odjig has died at the age of 97.
The internationally recognized artist had been in a long-term care facility in Kelowna, B.C., but lived and painted in the Shuswap for many years.
Her vibrant work helped shape Canadian history by bringing First Nations voices and political issues into the mainstream, particularly during the 1960s and '70s.
"The doors weren't open to us," Odjig once said in a CBC interview, describing what it was like as an Indigenous artist starting out. "So we had a reason to tell the people who we are and what we can do."
In 2005, the Kamloops Art Gallery hosted an exhibition of her work.
Tania Willard was the Aboriginal Curator in residence at the KAG.
She's also a Secwepemc artist and spoke to Daybreak about Odjig's influence.
To listen to the full interview, click on the link: 'Indian Group of Seven' artist Daphne Odjig dead at 97.