Abstract

This thesis examines how Christi Belcourt’s works, Wisdom of the Universe and Offerings to Save the World, unsettle the legacy of the Canadian landscape tradition by centering the perspectives of Indigenous women and being grounded in traditional knowledge and practices. By situating Belcourt’s works in relation to established landscape paintings by the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson, I demonstrate how her practice challenges romanticized and extractive representations of the landscape, instead highlighting the interconnection of all living beings and the fragility of our ecosystems. Drawing on the work of scholars from Indigenous studies, ecology, Indigenous feminisms, and art history, this thesis examines how Belcourt innovatively adapts storytelling, Indigenous ecologies, and Métis floral beadwork to the canvas to redefine the possibilities of contemporary Indigenous art.