Benjamin Chee Chee: Modernist Painter
MAY 30 >> SEP 14, 2025
Thunder Bay Art Gallery is delighted to present Benjamin Chee Chee: Modernist Painter. The exhibition shines new light on a significant and underexamined series of abstract paintings in the permanent collection by self-taught Ojibwe artist, Benjamin Chee Chee (1944-1977). Known for his Black Geese Portfolio (1983), a series of playful geese depicted in minimalist style, his artistic vision stretched into the world of modernism, abstraction, and graphic design. These works signal new intersections of modernism and Woodland style in his practice and express how he wished to be seen: as a modern painter.
Artist Bio:
Benjamin Chee Chee (b. 1944 – d. 1977) is a Ojibwe artist known for his iconic depiction of Geese, though his artistic vision stretched in to the world of modern and avant garde graphic design. A selection of his bold, modernist paintings on paper sheds new light on the intersections of modernism in his practice.
Image 1: Benjamin Chee Chee, Untitled, 1975, acrylic on paper, The Bert Curtis Benjamin Chee Chee Collection, 1983
Image 2: Benjamin Chee Chee, Untitled, 1975, acrylic on paper, The Bert Curtis Benjamin Chee Chee Collection, 1983
Image 3: Benjamin Chee Chee, Untitled, 1975, acrylic on paper, The Bert Curtis Benjamin Chee Chee Collection, 1983
Image 4: Benjamin Chee Chee, Untitled, 1975, acrylic on paper, The Bert Curtis Benjamin Chee Chee Collection, 1983
Image 5: Benjamin Chee Chee, Untitled, 1975, acrylic on paper, The Bert Curtis Benjamin Chee Chee Collection, 1983