The Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto has amended the title of celebrated Canadian artist Emily Carr’s 1929 painting “Indian Church”. Seen by many as one of her most important works, the vibrant green and white painting shows a church surrounded by a graveyard and an imposing rainforest. This month, the museum rehung the work with a revised title, “Church at Yuquot Village”.
The new title is an acknowledgment of the Indigenous community that lived where the church was located on the West Coast of Canada. While the word “indian” is certainly outdated and often considered derogatory today, it was commonly used at the time when Carr finished and titled the painting.
The Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto has amended the title of celebrated Canadian artist Emily Carr’s 1929 painting “Indian Church”. Seen by many as one of her most important works, the vibrant green and white painting shows a church surrounded by a graveyard and an imposing rainforest. This month, the museum rehung the work with a revised title, “Church at Yuquot Village”.
The new title is an acknowledgment of the Indigenous community that lived where the church was located on the West Coast of Canada. While the word “indian” is certainly outdated and often considered derogatory today, it was commonly used at the time when Carr finished and titled the painting.