CARL BEAM. RCA. [1943-2005].

 

Carl Beam was born in M’Chigeeng (West Bay) on Manitoulin Island of Ojibway heritage. He attended the Kootenay School of Art in 1971 and in 1974 received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Victoria. He did post graduate work at the University of Alberta [1975-76] and taught at the Ojibway Cultural Foundation. He spent time in New Mexico and Arizona and learned native pottery and adobe construction. He also lived in Toronto and Peterborough in the late eighties. Being of native Canadian descent the artist exerted a great influence on a whole generation of Aboriginal artists. His career was hugely instrumental in the development of the art of First Nations and was considered the founder of a whole genre of native conceptual art. Known mainly for his unique prints, which combine images of contemporary life against symbols of historic Indian Identity, he worked in a wide rage of multi media. His work included drawing, watercolour, etching, non-silver photography, photo transfer, prints, multiples, installation, video, and ceramics. In 1993 he produced an installation at the London Regional Art and Historical Museums on the building of his adobe home on Manitoulin Island. He participated in numerous exhibitions and was shown throughout North America as well as Italy, Denmark, Germany and China. His work is in many private, corporate and public collections including: the National Gallery of Canada, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, Art Gallery of Ontario, Vancouver Art Gallery, Albright-Knox Gallery, Buffalo, etc. In the year 2000 Carl Beam was elected into the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. In the summer of 2005, after a long illness, the artist passed away at M’Chigeeng, Manitoulin Island.

Exhibited: Carl Beam, The Columbus Boat. Toronto: The Power Plant, 1992. no. 22, illustrated in catalogue.

Bibliography: MacDonald. “Dictionary of Canadian Artists” [vol. 1, pp. 208-209]; The Canada Council for the Arts Website, 2006; Toronto, The Power Plant. “Carl Beam, The Columbus Boat” 1992. [exhib. cat.].

Provenance: Originally acquired directly from the artist.

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