Norval Morrisseau

Nature’s Balance, 1975 is well-known to both scholars and collectors of work by Norval Morrisseau. It masterfully articulates the artist’s connection to nature and the interconnectedness of all life forms. The sacred bear figure in the centre is connected by bolded black outlines to the serpent, fish and three surrounding birds. Often referred to by the artist as lines of communication, these lines form closed loops and united ties between the figures.

Jack Pollock and Lister Sinclair discuss Nature’s Balance, describing the work as an “abstract composition which integrates the creatures of the sky, the earth and the waters. Strong lines of communication unite the three domains, suggesting the natural interdependence of all creatures and the environmental interactions necessary for their survival.”[1]

Nature’s Balance is one of the last paintings Morrisseau produced before his involvement with the spiritual movement, Eckankar. Morrisseau was introduced to the movement by Jack Pollock’s assistant Eva Quan in the mid-1970s. The artist drew inspiration in his work from the Eckankar teachings, as paintings from this period are often bolder and brighter in colour than his earlier work.[2]

[1] Lister Sinclair and Jack Pollock, Art of Norval Morrisseau. (Toronto: Methuen, Toronto, 1979), 114.
[2] Art Canada Institute, Norval Morrisseau. Art Canada Institute, accessed 15 April 2024. https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/norval-morrisseau/style-and-technique/