Angus Trudeau

(1908? – 1984)

Angus Trudeau was born and raised on Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Unsure of his own age, the estimated 76–78-year-old artist was prolific in his sunset years. The themes that appear through his artwork are a reflection of his careers as a sailor on ferry boats as well as a logger and a cook in logging camps in his youth. Trudeau preferred to speak Anishinaabemowin over the dominating English language. He spent nearly his entire life living on Manitoulin Island, and in his later years, he returned to Wiikwemkoong.

Angus Trudeau agii ndaadizi miinwaa agii okooginaa odi Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, Manidoo Minis, Ontario. Gaawii gagwekwendizig epiitizid, megwaach gwa 76-78 biboon agaa piitizid miinwaa niibna gego agii gashkitoon ani gichi piitizid. Newen inaajimowinan nyaagwog ado mazinibiigewinan aawinon waabmdowemigag agaa naangizhed aawid waabikwaanshiinini zhiwe bimiwijige jiimaanan miinwaa age matikikenini miinwaa jiibaakwenini zhiwe enji matikikeng epiichi oshkiniigid. Trudeau woshme agii misendaan awii Anishinaabemad apiish owi naagaanziimigag Zhaaginaashimiwin. Gegaa gwa kina epiichi bimaadizid agii odaa Manidoo Minising, miinwaa baamaapii agii gichi piitizid agii biskaabii Wiikwemkoong. 

Angus Trudeau, Manitou, 1977. Mixed media. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

Angus Trudeau, Manidoo, 1977. Nowonj nikaaziwin. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury (Mazinibiigaanag enji Ginowendimindwaa odi Sudbury). 

Angus Trudeau. Ferry at Little Current, Ontario, Manitoulin Island / Mnniioulin Islano, 1976. Mixed media. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

Angus Trudeau. Aazhawa`oojigan odi Weyebijiwang, Ontario, Manidoo Minis/Mnniioulin Islano, 1976. Nowonj nikaaziwin. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury (Mazinibiigaanag enji Ginowendimindwaa odi Sudbury). 

Trudeau’s works were not exhibited in any formal capacity until 1973 in a group show at the Isaacs Gallery in Toronto, Ontario. It was in this show that Trudeau’s passion for the history of the Manitoulin area was realized. During the remainder of his life, Angus Trudeau’s works would be displayed in a total of eight different shows, half of which were solo exhibitions. A posthumous exhibition by the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario, circulated to a number of locations across Canada. Today, Angus Trudeau’s works are recognizable as a significant part of the history of art in Northeastern Ontario. 

Trudeau ado mazinibiigewinan miinwaa mazinkoojiganan gaawii agii waabmdowemigasino owi inaakinigaadeg apiinish 1973 zhiwe owi maamowi waabmdowewin odi Isaacs Gallery zhiwe Toronto, Ontario. Amii maanda waabmdowewin owi Trudeau ado gichi piitendang owi mewizha agaa aawong owi Manidoo Minising agii gikenjigaadeg. Owi ani ekwaasemigag bimaadiziwin, Angus Trudeau ado nankiiwinan adaa waabmdowem zhiwe nishwaaswi bkaan waambdowewinan, aabata newen agii aawinon onjike wiin waambdowewinan. Apii agaa shkwaa nibod waabmdowewinin owa McMichael Canadian Art Collection zhiwe Kleinburg, Ontario, agii babaamskobidemigad miziwe Gaanada. Nongo, Angus Trudeau ado nankiiwinan nisidwinigaadenon aawong gechi piitendaagwog owi mewizha agaa zhiwebak owi mazinibiigewin miinwaa mazinkoojigewin zhiwe Giiwedin-epigishimag Ontario. 

This mixed media and wood model sailboat is an over one-meter-long scale model of the fishing boats commonly used in the Manitoulin area before World War II. Angus Trudeau created the white boat with green details and red sails and fourteen different implements including a cloaked man, fishing equipment, an anchor, a chain, and a seagull which gets placed in wax on the mast facing into the wind.

Owi gnigsing nowonji nikaaziwinan miinwaa mitik mazinkoojigan bebaamaasing nigaasimoo jiimaan woshme nisiwi ozid enigokwaag gikinwaajinaagwog newen giigoonke jiimaanan agaa nikaazang zhiwe Manidoo Minising jibwaa Gichi Miigaadiwin II. Angus Trudeau agii zhitoon waabshki jiiman temigag zhaawiskwaag tisigan miinwaa mishko nigaasimoniiganan miinwaa midaaswi shi niiwin nowonj dnowaa nikaaziwinan miinwaa e’digoyaad nini biishkang gichi babiisizikawaagon, giikoonke nikaaziwinan, boonakaajigan, biiwaabiko-dikobijigan, miinwaa owa giiyaashkshen agaa zisijigaazad zhiwe biiwigizigan zhiwe naabikwaanaatig biidananmag nikiiyaa. 

Implements included with the sculpture include:

  • 2 pots
  • 1 tripod with hooks
  • 1 rifle
  • 1 anchor and chain
  • 1 harpoon
  • 1 seagull
  • 1 green chest
  • 1 plaid blanket
  • 1 tarpaulin
  • 1 bucket
  • 1 man
  • 2 ores

Nikaaziwinan e’digosing owi mazinigewin aawinon: 

  • Niish akikoog 
  • Bezhig nisogaade’aag temigag magiskanan 
  • Bezhi baashkizigan
  • Bezhig boonakaajigan miinwaa biiwaabiko-dikobijigan 
  • Bezhig baataakibizh 
  • Bezhig giiyaashkshen
  • Bezhig zhaawishko makak 
  • Bezhig gakakezinaateg waabowaan
  • Bezhig nigaasmoniigin 
  • Bezhig naadobii akik 
  • Bezhig nini 
  • Niish azhebwaaganan

Angus Trudeau, Boat with Red Sails, 1980. Mixed media sculpture. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

Angus Trudeau, Jiiman temigag Mishko Bimaashiiwiigin, 1980. Nowonj mizinibiigeng nikaazang Mazininii. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury (Mazinibiigaanag enji Ginowendimindwaa odi Sudbury). 

Angus Trudeau had no formal training, but he took the creation of his artworks very seriously. He used materials that he had available to him in order to create works such as Lonely Island Georgian Bay, Lighthouse which is pieced together with scrap wood, painted food cans, and even has a magnifying glass fixed inside to enhance the light from a once working lightbulb.

Angus Trudeau gaawii gego agii ayaanziin gikinomaagewin, dash wiigwa agii zhichitoonan newen ado zhichiganan gikaandendang. Agii nikaazinan nowonj gego etemigag awii nikaazand awii zhitood mazinaa’iganan dibishko gonaa owi “Waasakonenjigan Wiigwaam, Lonely Island, Georgian Bay” agaa maandosidood nikaazad bisagaakon agaa shkosemigag, otisiwaad miijim biiwaabiko kikoonsan, miinwaa age zhiibaa-aamjigan biinji-iing temigag awii giikinang owi waasewin owi nigoding agaa nishing waasikonenjigan. 

These photos show the difference between a black-and-white archival image of the lighthouse and a current photo from 2022.

Ninda mazinaaziganag waabmdowemigad owi bkaan owi makidewaag miinwaa waabshkaag gete mazinaazigan owi waasakonenjigan wiigwaam miinwaa oshki mazinaazigan onji 2022. 

Angus Trudeau. Lighthouse, Lonely Island, Georgian Bay, 1975. Mixed media sculpture. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

Angus Trudeau, Waasakonenjigan Wiigwaam, Lonely Island, Georgian Bay, 1975. Nowonj mizinibiigeng nikaazang Mazininii. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury (Mazinibiigaanag enji Ginowendimindwaa odi Sudbury). 

Angus Trudeau, Collins Inlet, 1982. Mixed media. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

Angus Trudeau, Collins Biindigebii-aag, 1982. Nowonj nikaaziwin. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury (Mazinibiigaanag enji Ginowendimindwaa odi Sudbury). 

Angus Trudeau, Canadian Farmer, 1980. Mixed media. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

Angus Trudeau, Gaanada Gitigenini, 1980. Nowonj nikaaziwin. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury (Mazinibiigaanag enji Ginowendimindwaa odi Sudbury). 

Angus Trudeau, Hunter’s Season, 1980. Mixed media. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

Angus Trudeau, Giiwisejig Akiiwin, 1980. Nowonj nikaaziwin. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury (Mazinibiigaanag enji Ginowendimindwaa odi Sudbury). 

Angus Trudeau, 1892 City of Midland, 1977. Mixed media. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.

Angus Trudeau, 1892 Gichi odena owi Midland, 1977. Nowonj nikaaziwin. LUMAC Collection, Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury (Mazinibiigaanag enji Ginowendimindwaa odi Sudbury). 

Angus Trudeau’s artistic legacy sits parallel to the famous Woodland School movement. His use of found objects and depictions of local commerce are unique to his practice. He apprenticed many young artists on Manitoulin Island and was an influential member of the community.

Angus Trudeau ado mazinbiigewin agaa nigadang temigad naasaab owi gichi’iiwong Woodland School bamibideg. Ado nikaasiwin owi agaa makang nikaaziwina miinwaa agaazhi waabmdang owi endinakiid daawewin bezhigon goweta ayaawong ado zhichigewin. Agii gikinomowaan niibna eshki mazinbiigejig odi Manidoo Minis miinwaa agii aawi gechi piitendaagozid bemaadizid zhiwe ado odena. 

More Information

Thom, Ian M., Blake Debassige, Avrom Isaacs, and Angus Trudeau. Angus Trudeau’s Manitoulin. Kleinburg, ON: McMichael Canadian Collection, 1986.

Woshme gikendamowin 

Thom, Ian M., Blake Debassige, Avrom Isaacs, miinwaa Angus Trudeau. Angus Trudeau ado Manidoo Minis. Kleinburg, ON: McMichael Canadian Collection, 1986. 


Text by Kaylee Verkruisen in consultation with Deanna Nebenionquit

Zhibiigan owa Kaylee Verkruisen owi ginonaawaad owa Deanna Nebenionquit 

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