Alberta's gender-bending 'Buffalo Boy' sells bison painting to British Museum
Danielle Nerman | CBC News | Posted: November 25, 2016 6:46 PM | Last Updated: November 25, 2016
Indigenous artist Adrian Stimson's work acquired by museum’s extensive Blackfoot collection
An Alberta Indigenous artist with a campy alter ego has sold one of his contemporary paintings to the British Museum.
Adrian Stimson's Event II was acquired by the museum's extensive Blackfoot collection last year, but is not yet on display.
The work features bison — an animal hunted to near-extinction across the North American plains in the late 19th century — roaming freely on a snowy Prairie landscape, with a pumpjack in the backdrop.
"The slaughter of the bison had an incredible impact on my people. Changed our way of life forever," said Stimson, a member of the Siksika First Nation.
"It's storytelling of the history of the bison, current events of oil extraction and the conflict that creates with the people. So I think it's right for our times, so I am happy that they chose that particular piece," Stimson said.
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Stimson recently moved from Saskatoon back to his southern Alberta ancestral home and is working on setting up a solar and wind-powered studio.
He calls the off-grid initiative a form of environmental "activism."
"Oil extraction, potash extraction, even agriculture — has all impacted the landscape and our [Blackfoot] way of life."
Alter ego, "Buffalo Boy"
Stimson also uses his work to explore colonialism and the constructed stereotypes of Aboriginal peoples and cultures.
He's been commenting on those themes for years through a gender-bending, chameleon-like performance artist named "Buffalo Boy" — who has made numerous appearances at the Burning Man festival in Nevada.
Event II is part of a three-painting collection. The two other artworks are owned privately, but one was recently gifted to the British Museum.
Stimson said he will travel to London, England in December to present the donated painting to the museum, tour their backroom archives and meet to discuss "future programming possibilities."
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- In an earlier version of this story, we reported the painting was sold for $6,000 when it was actually £600. December 15, 2016 3:22 PM