HE IS ONE OF US
Jane Ash Poitras is one of Canada’s most important contemporary Indigenous artists. Her work is immediately recognizable for its layered, symbolic, and deeply narrative style, blending Western contemporary art techniques with Cree cultural knowledge and lived experience.
A defining feature of her artwork is complex layering. She combines paint, collage, photographs, text, and found objects. Poitras' works often resemble visual archives, stacked with fragments of history and memory. This creates a sense that her paintings are not just images, but constructed histories
Poitras frequently incorporates real objects into her work such as sacred items (e.g., eagle feathers), currency or documents referencing treaties, and archival photographs of Indigenous people. These elements carry meaning, for example, an eagle feather can symbolize spirituality, while a dollar bill may refer to colonial agreements.
At the heart of her art is storytelling, she explores Indigenous history, colonization, and cultural survival. Many works juxtapose past and present (e.g., residential schools vs. modern Indigenous success). Text, sometimes handwritten, is layered into the image, guiding interpretation. As such each artwork is no single scene, but rather her pieces function like visual essays.
Layered, symbolic mixed-media storytelling that confronts colonial history while affirming Indigenous knowledge, spirituality, and resilience. All of Poitras' work serves as a powerful reminder that language and culture is transient and it must be protected.
A curated selection of Jane Ash Poitras original paintings is available for acquisition. If a piece resonates with you, you may purchase directly through our website by selecting the “Acquire” button on the artwork page, or contact the gallery for assistance for availability and details.