Terrance Houle profile picture

Terrance Houle

Contemporary Aboriginal Artist Kickin Ass Since 1975

About Me

All Art Inquires: [email protected]

My Interests

Cry for the INDIANS:

I'd like to meet:

Indian Pigeon Holes: The Work of Terrance Houle No one really wants to be labeled an "Indian Artist", right? That's a gross oversimplification of a complex idea. Actually, NAICA is pretty sure that Terrance Houle, a Blackfoot interdisciplinary artist from Alberta, would like to be labeled just that. A self-proclaimed "ethnically pigeon hole challenged" artist, Houle embraces the indigenous stereotype with both arms, and maybe even French kisses it a little. You won't find any idiosyncratic banter about the misappropriation of "Indian" culture in his work. But you might possibly find plastic tomahawks, cheap feather headdresses and even those little felt loincloths, but no banter because those objects speak for themselves. Houle's work embraces a sort of harsh sentimentality, where Day-Glo Indian caricatures collide with muted contemporary figures. Modern day Aboriginals are beaten to a pulp by their stereotypical (and somewhat homophobic) Indian counterparts as seen in "The Metrosexual Indian" and teenagers in baggy jeans and hoodies burn toy wagons and proceed to dance, warrior-like, around the ashes in "The Wagon Burner." Stereotypes defy stereotypes in Houle's work and his aesthetic sensibilities, whether it be in film or performance art or photography, are unassumingly terse and to the point. To the point of the plastic Tomahawk that is. After all, Houle's work does not try to escape proverbial Indian "pigeon hole." It simply seeks to spruce it up a little. Renee Gick

Music:

The beans, catpower, mogwai, alice donut, destroyer, massive attack, dj shadow, deerhoof, Chad Vangaalen, death cab for cutie, slayer, johnny cash, palace brothers, wolfparade, The muskeg kids, Matisyahu, jerk with a bomb, constantines, arcade fire, The delgadoes, the cure, stereophonics, the microphones, arab strap, danger mouse, danger doom, mf doom, Neko Case, Tortoise, shudder to think, godspeed you black emperor, The wedding present dead 60's, yeah yeah yeahs, yo la tango, beastie boys, The mars volta, at the drive-in, gang of four, tim buckley. jeff buckley, six finger satellite

Movies:

WINNETOU part 2:

Television:

Best fuckin commercial EVER

Books:

WHA??

Heroes:

Dan Bejar

My Blog

Updates on the downlows and cancer asskicking

Hey,well here is the official update for June. I am happy to announce i am in 4 Confirmed Exhibits in 3 different continents around the world. Alsoa possible 5 yet to be confirmedThe Wagon Burner seem...
Posted by Terrance Houle on Wed, 06 Jun 2007 10:02:00 PST

Back from spring

Back for the art Attack:Hello everyone,I am finally posting a new blog and information on things. well after a nice couple of months of not doing much but artmaking and family I am back feeling refr...
Posted by Terrance Houle on Thu, 24 May 2007 01:27:00 PST

Gone for a serious Spring Cleaning

Dear Everyone,I have decided after a lengthy 4 years solid! working on my "Art Practice" to finally take a break so I am leaving this little blog to inform everyone. After 4 years of Art making, Exhib...
Posted by Terrance Houle on Thu, 05 Apr 2007 12:14:00 PST

Because I like them!

Soon Enough - the ConstantinesYears from now, they will make water from the reservoirs of ouridiot tempers.Soon enough, work and love will make a manout of you.Through and through.Your gentleman fathe...
Posted by Terrance Houle on Sun, 25 Mar 2007 05:23:00 PST

Sick & Tired Essay by Daina Warren

A sick and tired, paper bag Indian Princess.Grunt Gallery Exhibit Terrance Houle and Adrian Stimsons installation reminds us of how close - and not so long ago - negative issues such as the residentia...
Posted by Terrance Houle on Sun, 09 Apr 2006 07:56:00 PST