Kent Monkman Reimagines History Painting At Akron Art Museum

Organized by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Denver Art Museum, the exhibition has previously been presented to wide acclaim. Akron is the only Midwest venue to host the show during its tour, offering audiences in Ohio the rare opportunity to experience Monkman’s epic body of work.

The exhibition features important loans from major institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, alongside works from private collections. Monumental in scale and deeply layered in meaning, Monkman’s paintings illuminate histories and identities often excluded from dominant narratives, especially those of Indigenous and queer communities.

With allegory, wit, and striking artistry, Monkman tackles pressing issues such as the climate crisis, the effects of government policies on Indigenous peoples, intergenerational trauma, and the affirmation of Two-Spirit, queer, and trans Indigenous experiences. His compositions move through searing scenes of oppression, lament, humor, pride, and celebration—reminding us that history painting remains a powerful contemporary language.

“I’m humbled to have a mid-career survey that spans over two decades of my work—it feels very rewarding to see this recognition at this point in my career. Sharing this exhibition with audiences in Akron extends that recognition in powerful ways, allowing the works to resonate across borders and communities,” says Kent Monkman.

Jon Fiume, CEO and Executive Director of the Akron Art Museum, adds: “Kent Monkman’s monumental works ask us to confront difficult truths while also creating space for reflection, humor, and resilience. Presenting this exhibition in Akron underscores the Museum’s mission to bring world-class contemporary art to our region and to amplify voices that challenge and expand our understanding of history. As a museum situated on the traditional lands of the Ohio Seneca and Cayuga, the Lenni Lenape (Delaware), the Miami, the Shawnee, the Wyandot (Wendat), the Odawa (Ottawa), and the Ojibwe Nations, we are especially mindful of the responsibility and honor of presenting Monkman’s vision here.”

About the Artist
Kent Monkman (b. 1965) is a member of ocêkwi sipiy (Fisher River Cree Nation) in Treaty 5 Territory, Manitoba. An interdisciplinary artist, he works across painting, film, video, performance, and installation. Monkman is widely recognized for his gender-fluid alter ego, Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, who disrupts and reclaims art historical traditions while offering Indigenous perspectives that are both critical and celebratory.

Credits
Kent Monkman: History Is Painted by the Victors is organized by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Denver Art Museum. The exhibition was curated by Léuli Eshrāghi, Curator of Indigenous Practices at the MMFA, and John Lukavic, Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Native Arts at the Denver Art Museum.

About the Akron Art Museum
The Akron Art Museum, dedicated to enriching lives through modern and contemporary art, showcases regional, national, and international art created since 1850. The Museum’s collection is presented in a spectacular facility designed by Viennese architectural firm Coop Himmelb(l)au and includes over 7,000 works of art, with a strong focus on contemporary painting, sculpture, and photography. Nearly a dozen exhibitions each year present prominent artists in various media including painting, sculpture, photography, video, design, and glass.