The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is currently hosting Winnipeg Cree artist Kent Monkman's exhibition titled "History is Painted by the Victors," featuring twenty paintings that critics have described as racy, violent, radical, and melodramatic. The exhibition, which opened in late 2025, presents Monkman's distinctive approach to addressing colonial history through provocative imagery.
Controversial Artistic Approach
While the exhibition has garnered attention for its bold themes, some observers argue that Monkman's critique of Western society appears overly simplistic. The artist prominently features his flamboyant alter ego, Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, throughout the works, portraying this character as a god-like figure who moves through time and space to reveal what Monkman suggests are hidden alternative sexual appetites among men.
The exhibition begins with content guidance warning visitors about themes including acts of resistance, bodily violence, environmental exploitation, nudity across gender spectrum, and queer visibility. Museum attendees are informed that the exhibition concludes with a reflection space for those who might need it after viewing the challenging content.
Questioning Artistic Consistency
Critics have noted apparent contradictions in Monkman's artistic philosophy. Despite the artist's stated rejection of the Western solitary artist concept, the exhibition prominently centers his personal alter ego throughout the works. Ironically, the introductory materials note that Miss Chief found non-Indigenous painters from the 1800s inserting themselves into their work to be "egotistical."
One particularly notable piece, "History Is Painted by the Victors" from 2013, depicts over twenty naked men swimming and wrestling near a snow-capped mountain and crystal lake. The scene shows soldiers who have discarded their uniforms, with Monkman's alter ego positioned centrally, wearing only red latex boots while painting the scene.
Artist's Stated Intentions
In exhibition materials, Monkman explains that his work aims to subvert power dynamics and address what he terms the "colonial project." Through Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, described as a "fierce provocatrix," the artist seeks to disrupt what he considers false and incomplete historical narratives while presenting Indigenous perspectives on gender and sexuality.
The exhibition continues at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts through early 2026, generating ongoing discussion about the role of contemporary Indigenous art in challenging established historical narratives and its reception among diverse audiences.
