Human Rights A Day

Artist Carl Beam receives Governor General’s Award for art. Carl Beam was born the eldest of nine children on the West Bay First Nations (later to be renamed M'chigeeng) reserve on Manitoulin Island, Ontario on May 24, 1943. Although his white father was killed during World War II, his Ojibway maternal grandfather took a significant interest in his upbringing. In his late 20s, Beam followed in his artist mother’s footsteps by studying at the Kootenay School of Art before further studies at the University of Victoria and then graduate studies at the University of Alberta. His art has been described as telling stories on canvas, with references to time and use of cultural markers. While his art included aboriginal and European culture and commentary, Beam never wanted to be pinned down by labels. He said, “My work is not made for Indian people, but for thinking people. In the global and evolutionary scheme, the difference between people is negligible.” Beam’s work was featured in galleries across Canada. When t