BEAM – Two Generations

An exhibition of works by artists Carl Beam (1943-2005) and Anong Migwans Beam.

Carl Beam worked in various photographic mediums, mixed media, oil, acrylic, spontaneously scripted text on canvas, Plexiglas, stone, cement, wood, handmade ceramic pottery, and found objects, in addition to etching, lithography, and screen process. Through this wide array of artistic practices he juxtaposed his personal history and historical events to create and illustrate an often politically charged message. By adopting a mixed media approach to his work, Beam developed a new platform to speak out against the unequal treatment of Indigenous peoples. A major retrospective of his work, organized by the National Gallery of Canada, was mounted in 2010 and went on to tour throughout Canada and the United States.

Anong Migwans Beam is a painter from Mchigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island and is inspired by the physical history of place, the natural landscape, and the relationship between water and memory. Anong was born to artist parents, Carl Beam and Ann Beam, who encouraged her to develop as an artist. She was raised with a meaningful connection to both her artistic familial roots and rich ancestral heritage. Beam’s large format oil paintings incorporate a multitude of image making approaches, including photo transfer, printmaking and collage.