Event recap: The Life and Work of Donald J. Cardinal

On Thursday, July 18, the NWT Art Centre Initiative co-sponsored a research presentation on Northern Indigenous art history featuring Métis/Cree artist Donald J. Cardinal. Cardinal was an active painter in Hay River and Yellowknife in the 1970s and 80s. During the event paintings, prints, and drawings by Don Cardinal were exhibited from the private collections of patrons in Yellowknife, Hay River, and Fort Smith. PhD candidate Jennifer Bowen (pictured) shared her research to date about Don Cardinal’s life and work in political and historical contexts. This was the third of three gatherings in the territory where Jennifer engaged with the community to spark conversation and memories of the life and work of Donald J. Cardinal.

Mah'si cho to the Gallery on 47th Street for hosting, and the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre for supporting these community engagements, the patrons who generously loaned art for exhibition, and Jennifer Bowen for bringing us all together.