Artist File
August 7, 2024
Jason Baerg’s Works Are A Celebration Of Indigenous Strength, Resilience And Joy
In our Artist File column, art advisor Diana Hamm of WK ART shares the artists that have caught her eye.
The Artist: Jason Baerg is a Cree-Métis artist who explores the Indigenous connection to the land and themes of language through an abstract visual practice. Raised in Prince Albert, Sask., Jason is now based in Toronto where they’re an associate professor at OCAD University. The artist works in painting, drawing, sculpture, film, new media and fashion, looking at the beautiful aspects of Indigenous life and envisioning the best path forward as a way to inspire today’s Indigenous youth and celebrate their collective stories.
The Works: As a starting point for recent works, Jason has looked to the Cree Medicine Wheel. They spent the entirety of 2022 focusing on yellow, which represents the spring. In 2023, Jason looked at red, representing summer, the earth and metal and, this year, they’ve moved to blue, which represents autumn and water.
Cree-Métis artist Jason Baerg.
Collecting: Jason has exhibited throughout the country and has had a mid-career survey at Thunder Bay Art Gallery and Canada House in London, U.K. The artist has received multiple awards including Indspire Scholar and the Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, plus numerous grants. Jason’s works are in many prominent collections including the RBC Art Collection, TD Art Collection, Loto-Québec Art Collection, the Global Affairs Canada Visual Art Collection and the SK Arts Permanent Collection. Their work starts at $2,500.
Where to See It: Jason has recently had exhibitions at Fazakas Gallery in Vancouver and Art Mûr in Montreal. The artist is represented by Fazakas Gallery; their next exhibition will be at the Grimsby Public Art Gallery from May to August of this year.
Home/Kiikiwaahk (2023).
Jason’s pieces conflate concept and process through technology, making them wholly unique and endlessly interesting. Take Home/Kiikiwaahk, for example. The artist used a laser-cutting process to evoke a sense of “feathering” on the canvas. The result is an innovative painting that is essentially two canvases in one. Underneath the red-painted top canvas is a second canvas in blue. As such, the cut strips reveal what lies beneath, allowing the painting to have movement and a sculptural effect.
Thematically, this latest series is an exploration of radical love and the challenging of harmful narratives. This work attempts to express the feelings and energies behind the emotion, resulting in a dynamic and compelling piece. Here, the artist uses red to celebrate Indigenous strength and resilience to the inequities and challenges that have plagued Indigenous communities for generations. It’s crucial to note that Jason’s outlook is positive, and their goal is to inspire and unite Indigenous youth, and to spread hope, peace and joy through their work.
Nîpîy kapahkihtik ᓃᐲᕀ ᑲᐸᐦᑭᐦᑎᐠ water fall 3 (2023).
In Nîpîy kapahkihtik ᓃᐲᕀ ᑲᐸᐦᑭᐦᑎᐠ water fall 3, Jason was looking at blue, or the autumn quadrant of the medicine wheel, which represents emotional health and invokes the qualities of water. In this exhibition, they used the tondo, or circular, format as one of the main shapes for the canvases. The concept of a round canvas is rooted in many cultures, from Western art history by way of Ancient Greece and the Renaissance to Indigenous history; the circle symbolizes the cycle of life.
“Time is cyclical, demonstrated by time measurements such as 60 seconds in an hour, seven days in a week, 28 days between moons, and 365 days in a year,” says Jason. “Tondo compositions are one of the most complex to resolve. I give myself challenges in the studio, and I still have much to explore and discover within the concept and form.” Again, Jason uses a laser-cutting method in this painting in order to reveal an orange layer beneath. I love how the stripped canvas falls so intentionally over the edge of the painting, disrupting the perfect circle.
maemaengwaen butterfly (2023).
Another method Jason uses to elevate their paintings from a classic 2D form is to stack canvases in a supportive and sculptural grouping. “The purpose is to challenge the way we perceive paintings, as well as to subvert the formalism of gallery expectations,” says Jason. “I revisited this technique in 2015, during my time in graduate school at Rutgers University, and have continued to develop this format. Today, these stacked paintings symbolize support systems and honour relationships — to the land, to each other, and to all that sustains us.” maemaengwaen butterfly exemplifies this. There’s a connectivity between the two canvases in palette and pattern, yet they don’t perfectly flow from one to the other.
Âcimowin ᐋᒋᒧᐃᐧᐣ Story (2023).
Jason strives to incorporate references to Cree heritage as a means of celebration. In doing so, the artist pushes the boundaries of traditional painting by employing innovative techniques and creative methods to create a body of work that’s progressive and joyful.
Diana Hamm of WK ART is a Toronto art adviser. A graduate of Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, U.K., Diana focuses on contemporary art and discovering emerging artists. She also advises private clients on acquisitions and collection building. Find out more at wkart.ca.
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