Artist Info
Jackson Beardy
Anishinaabe artist, teacher, and political advocate Jackson Beardy was a founding member of Professional Native Indian Artists Incorporated. His works depicted figures from Ojibwe and Cree oral traditions and, as well, addressed concerns with the interdependence of humans and nature. Beardy attended residential school in Portage la Prairie and went on to study art at the Technical Vocational High School in Winnipeg (1963-64). He completed formal education at the University of Manitoba in 1966.
Beardy was an accomplished artist and advocate dedicated to building connections and championing Indigenous art’s place in the contemporary art world. He was a consultant on the Indians of Canada Pavilion for Expo ’67 and was commissioned to produce works for Manitoba’s centennial in 1970. The work for the Manitoba Centennial was featured at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa where he and his family were denied entry to the opening gala by event security, an event which fueled his advocacy efforts for the remainder of his life. Beardy was a member of the National Indian Arts Council, the Manitoba Arts Council, the Prison Arts Foundation, and the Canadian Indian Artist Association. He worked as senior arts advisor to the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development in 1982 and 1983.
Beardy’s work has been shown in national solo and group exhibitions, and collected internationally. He was awarded the Canada Centennial Medal (1967), the Young Achievers Award (1974), and the Outstanding Young Manitoban Award (1982).
