Biography
Simon is a Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg artist living in Algonquin territory here in Ottawa. He has completed public art including: Algonquin Birch Bark Basket at Abinan Place, large mural for the Heart Institute, Ottawa and a mural at Carleton University’s Indigenous student centre. He is completing two large public artworks for the Pimisi Station: Mamawi – Together paddle installation painted by 100 Algonquin artists and Algonquin moose. His artistic vision is to have a significant presence in public art and institutions for Algonquin and Indigenous art and culture.
Simon's artistic vision is to communicate traditional teachings and values through the continuity of imagery and narrative. Simon's work has been exhibited in the United States, Canada, Europe, China, Japan and Cuba. He is represented in the collections at the Canadian Museum of History and the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. and major corporate and private collections. He is presently in an exhibit at the National Gallery of Canada’s Canadian and Indigenous Art exhibition.
Simon Brascoupé's work reflects his respect for the Algonquin Territory and land. From his perspective, animals teach humans how to see the world through their eyes and actions. For example, Simon's father taught him that the bear, when its wounded will use the sap from a pine or cedar tree as medicine. An Algonquin teaching is that even though the bear is large it lives lightly on the land. Aboriginal People traditionally have learned by listen and learn from the animal world and nature for their profound insight and knowledge. The ability to observe is central to the artist's vision of living in harmony with nature.
