{"id":6977,"date":"2023-06-27T16:55:07","date_gmt":"2023-06-27T20:55:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/iis\/?post_type=cu-people&p=6977"},"modified":"2025-11-14T10:40:34","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T15:40:34","slug":"carmen-robertson","status":"publish","type":"cu-people","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/iis\/people\/carmen-robertson\/","title":{"rendered":"Carmen Robertson"},"content":{"rendered":"

Carmen Robertson was the Canada Research Chair in North American Indigenous Visual and Material Culture in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences from 2018 to 2025, jointly appointed between the School for Studies in Art and Culture, the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Institute for Comparative Studies in Literature, Art, and Culture. A Scots-Lakota professor of art history, her research centers around contemporary Indigenous arts and constructions of Indigeneity in popular culture. Before joining Carleton, she taught at University of Regina and First Nations University of Canada in Saskatchewan for seventeen years.<\/p>\n

In 2016, Robertson published both Norval Morrisseau: Art and Life<\/em> (Art Canada Institute) and Mythologizing Norval Morrisseau: Art and the Colonial Narrative in the Canadian Media<\/em> (University of Manitoba Press). Her essays have been published in such scholarly journals as American Indian Quarterly<\/em>, the Journal of Canadian Art History<\/em>, Media History, Canadian Art Review (RACAR),<\/em> Australian Journal of Indigenous Education<\/em>, and Third Text<\/em>. Seeing Red: A History of Natives in Canadian Newspapers<\/em> (University of Manitoba Press, 2011), which Robertson co-authored with Mark Cronlund Anderson, has elicited awards and favourable reviews by both scholars and non-academics.<\/p>\n

Robertson sits on the editorial board of The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education<\/em> and RACAR<\/em> and holds memberships in a number of scholarly associations. She is a member of the Board of Governors for the Social Science and Humanities Council and the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society. She also maintains an independent curatorial practice. She recently guest curated the Dana Claxton: The Sioux Project\u2014Tatanka Oyate<\/em> exhibition and symposium at the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina, SK (2017-18).<\/p>\n

Robertson\u2019s teaching is concentrated in contemporary Indigenous art history and curatorial studies. She is an advocate of hands-on, experiential learning and has led study trips to Peru as well as to galleries and museums to provide students with learning opportunities beyond the classroom setting.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Monographs and Books<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mythologizing Norval Morrisseau: Art and the Colonial Narrative in the Canadian Media<\/em>.\u00a0Monograph. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2016.<\/p>\n

Norval Morrisseau: Life and Art<\/em>. E-book. Toronto: Art Canada Institute, 2016.<\/p>\n

co-authored with Mark Cronlund Anderson, Seeing Red: A History of Natives in Canada\u2019s\u00a0<\/em>Newspapers. <\/em>Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2011.<\/p>\n

With Sherry Farrell Racette, Editors. Clearing a Path: New Ways of Seeing Traditional Indigenous\u00a0<\/em>Art<\/em>. Regina: Canadian Plains Research Centre, 2009.<\/p>\n

Book Chapters and Essays in Edited Collections<\/strong><\/p>\n

With Mark Anderson, \u201cCreation Stories, Ethnic Cleansing, And Imaginary Indians: A Guide to<\/p>\n

Nation Building in Canada.\u201d Viagens Intemporais pelo Saber: Mapas, redes <\/em>e hist\u00f3rias<\/em>. Porto, Portugal: CEI, 2017, 367-384. E-book.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Beauty of a Story: Toward an Indigenous Art Theory.\u201d The Routledge International\u00a0<\/em>Handbook of Intercultural Arts Research<\/em>. Edited by Burnard, Pam, Liz Mackinlay and Kimberly Powell. 13-28. London: Routledge, 2016.<\/p>\n

\u201cMishomis in Black and White: Reconciling Press Images of an Indigenous Artist\u201d Tecumseh\u2019s\u00a0<\/em>Vision: Indigenous Borders After the War of 1812<\/em> Edited by McNab, Paul Emile, David \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 McNab, and Ute Lischke. 109-134. Winnipeg: Aboriginal Issues Press, 2015.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrey Owl: Noble Savage Poster Boy,\u201d Overlooking Saskatchewan: Minding the Gap<\/em>.\u00a0Edited by Rogers, Randal and Ramsay, Christine. 167-182. Regina: University of\u00a0Regina Press, 2014.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaper Trail: PNIAI Artists in Winnipeg Newspapers, 1966-1977\u201d Seven: Professional Native\u00a0<\/em>Indian Artists, Inc<\/em>. Edited by Lavallee, Michelle. 225-232. Regina: Mackenzie Art Gallery, 2014.<\/p>\n

\u201cTelling Stories on Canvas: An Analysis of Norval Morrisseau\u2019s Visual Narratives.\u201d The Memory of\u00a0<\/em>Native in Aboriginal, Canadian and American Contexts<\/em>. Edited by Besson, Francoise,\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Claire Omhovere, and Heliane Ventura. 304-316.Newcastle, UK: Cambridge Scholars\u00a0Publishing, 2014.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndian Princess\/Indian \u2018Squaw\u2019: Representations of Indigenous Women in Canada\u2019s Printed\u00a0Press,\u201d Culture and Power: Identity and Identification<\/em>. Edited by Martin-Albo,
\nAngel\u00a0Mateos-Aparicio and Eduardo de Gregorio-Godeo. 129-146. Newcastle, UK: Cambridge\u00a0\u00a0Scholars Publishing, 2013.<\/p>\n

\u201cImaginary Citizens: The White Paper and the Whitewash in the Press,\u201d Narratives of Citizenship:<\/em>Indigenous and Diasporic Peoples Unsettle the Nation State. <\/em>Edited by Fleischmann, A,
\nVan Styvendale & C McCarroll. 233-262. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press, 2011.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the Road with Bob,\u201d in Lee-Ann Martin, ed., Bob Boyer: His Life\u2019s Work<\/em>. 191-209. Regina: MacKenzie Art Gallery, 2008.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Journal Articles<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/em>Land and Beaded Identity: Shaping Art Histories of Indigenous Women of the Flatland,\u201d Revue\u00a0<\/em>d\u2019art canadienne\/Canadian Art Review<\/em>, Vol. 432, No. 2 (Fall 2017): 13-29.<\/p>\n

“Thunderbirds and Concepts of Transformation in the Art of Norval Morrisseau.” Journal of\u00a0<\/em>Canadian Art History, vol. 33, <\/em>2 (2012): 53-70.<\/p>\n

“Utilizing PEARL to Teach Indigenous Art History: A Canadian Example.” Australian Journal of\u00a0<\/em>Indigenous Education, vol. 41<\/em>,1 (2012): 60-66.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrickster in the Press\u201d Media History<\/em>, Vol. 14:1 (2008): 72-93.<\/p>\n

\u201cBody Politics: The Art of Norval Morrisseau\u201d Revue d\u2019art canadienne\/Canadian Art Review<\/em>, Vol.\u00a032,1-2 (2007): 70-78.<\/p>\n

with Angela Weber. \u201cTeaching Indian Art History: A Conversation about Post-Secondary\u00a0Indigenous Art Education\u201d Third Text Vol. 21<\/em>, 3 (2007): 341-356.<\/p>\n

with Mark Anderson. \u201cThe \u2018Bended Elbow News,\u2019Kenora, 1974: How a Small-town Newspaper\u00a0Promoted Colonialism.\u201d American Indian Quarterly<\/em>, vol. 31:3 (2007): 410-440.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Reel Norval Morrisseau: An Analysis of The National Film Board of Canada\u2019s Paradox of\u00a0Norval Morrisseau.\u201d International Journal of Learning<\/em>, Vol. 11. Fall (2005): 315-321.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Book Reviews<\/strong><\/p>\n

Review of French Primitivism and the Ends of Empire, 1947-1975<\/em> by Daniel J. Sherman\u00a0(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011) for Museum Anthropology<\/em>, 36 (2): 2013.<\/p>\n

Review of Radical Human Ecology: Intercultural and Indigenous Approaches<\/em> by Lewis Williams, Rose Roberts & Alistair McIntosh (eds). Australian Journal of Indigenous Education<\/em>, 42 (1) 2013.<\/p>\n

Review of \u201cOur Indian Princes\u201d: Subverting the Stereotype by Nancy M. Mithlo (Washington: SAR Press, 2008) for Canadian Journal of Native Studies<\/em>, June 2011.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Published Reviews of My Work<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kelm, Mary-Ellen. Review of \u201cSeeing Red: A History of Natives in Canada\u2019s Newspapers (2011)\u00a0in American Historical Review <\/em>118, 3 Summer (2013).<\/p>\n

Matthew Tegelberg, A Review of Seeing Red: A History of Natives in Canada\u2019s Newspapers\u201d\u00a02011) in Canadian Journal of Communication 38,1 <\/em>(2013).<\/p>\n

Callison, Candice. \u201cEnduring Colonialism in Canadian News,\u201d A Review of Seeing Red: A History\u00a0of Natives in Canada\u2019s Newspapers (2011) in Canadian Literature: A Quarterly of Literature and Review 212<\/em>, Spring (2012).<\/p>\n

Sinclair, James Niigaanwewidam. \u201cRed Difficult to Find in Black and White: A Review of Seeing\u00a0Red\u201d Winnipeg Free Press<\/em> 11 December 2011.<\/p>\n

Longman, Mary. Review of \u201cClearing a Path: New Ways of Seeing Traditional Indigenous Art.\u201d\u00a0Great Plains Quarterly<\/em>, 31,2 Spring (2011) 160.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Curatorial Publications<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Making of a Movement: Chee Chee and Trailbazing Artists of the 1960s and 1970s\u201d\u00a0Benjamin Chee Chee Exhibition<\/em>, Temiskaming Art Gallery, Haileysbury, ON, February-\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 April 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cLAND(scape): Terence Houle: GIVN\u2019R\u201d DAG Volumes: No.1(2012)<\/em> Edited by Curtis Collins. 45-50.Regina: Regina Public Library, 2012.<\/p>\n

\u201cLife Elsewhere: Rachelle Viader Knowles,\u201d Essay. Art Gallery of Regina, Saskatchewan. 2010.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomewhere In Between, The Art of Sean Whalley and John Henry Fine Day,\u201d Essay. Estevan:\u00a0Art Gallery of Estevan, Saskatchewan. 2009.<\/p>\n

Real Estate: Ceremonies of Possession\u201d Essay. Regina: Art Gallery of Regina, Saskatchewan.\u00a02007.<\/p>\n

\u201cClearing A Path: Indigenous Traditional Arts in Saskatchewan\u201d Essay. 2005.<\/p>\n

\u201cNeal McLeod: Abstraction and Myth\u201d Dunlop Annual Art Series<\/em>. Edited by Donna Wazwonek.\u00a0Regina: Dunlop Art Gallery. 2004.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom Wigwas to Canvas: Generations of Woodland Art,\u201d Mackenzie Art Gallery essay. 2003. O<\/em>therspace: 6 Degrees of Exploration,\u201d Exhibition Catalogue, Rosemont Gallery,<\/em> Regina,\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Saskatchewan. 2003.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Curation<\/strong><\/p>\n