Doug Donley
(1957 – 2005)
fish or no fish
giigoon maage gaawii gwaya giigoon
ALL IMAGES © THE ESTATE OF DOUG DONLEY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Doug Donley was born in Ville LaSalle, Montreal, Quebec on September 20, 1957. At age 10 his family relocated to Richmond Hill, Ontario. Doug Donley made a living as a machinist before moving to Sudbury in 1980 to attend Cambrian College. It was in Sudbury that his focus on art became more intense. In 1981 Doug Donley had his first solo exhibition at Gallery 101, an artist-run centre, in Ottawa, and participated in his first group show, the third annual NorArt juried exhibition, at the Laurentian University Museum and Art Centre in Sudbury.
Doug Donley agii ndaadizi odi Ville LaSalle, Montreal, Quebec apii Waabaabagaa-giizis 20, 1957. Apii agii piitizid midaaswi inoodewiziwinan agii aanjiiwog odi Richmond Hill, Ontario. Doug Donley agii bimaajidiza aawid biiwaabikoon bimibidetood jibwaa aanjiid odi Sudbury apii 1980 awii azhaad odi Cambrian Ishpi Gikinoomaage Gamig. Amii odi Sudbury owi ado azhi waabmdamwin owi mazininige woshme agii mashkowendaagwog. Apii 1981, Doug Donley agii ayaan oshkintam waamdowewin odi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig 101, owi mezininigejig bamibidetowaad wiigwaam, odi Ottawa, miinwaa agii wiijiiwe owi oshkintam zhiwe ado ntam maamowi waabmdowewin, owi nisiwe ensa nigo biboon NorArt dibaakinigaademigag waabanda-iwewin, odi Laurentian Ishpi Gikinomaage Gamig Getewiin enji Zigakinigaadeg miinwaa Mazinibiiganan Wiigwaam odi Sudbury.
The Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury collection now contains nearly 300 artworks by Donley that include depictions of fish. The majority of these belong to one of the artist’s most prolific series, ‘Estuary‘. An estuary is an arm of the sea, where the mouth of a freshwater body of water mixes with the salt water from the ocean. No two fish are the same in Donley’s works. The fish appear in a variety of contexts, concentrated, performing a mixture of roles both natural and unnatural. The fish have taken over, but this still leads to the question “Why fish”?
Owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury maawanjichigan nongo tenoon gegaa 300 mazininiganan owa Donley newen e’digosin mazinibiiganan owi giigoon. Memaanji niibna ninda dibendaagidoon owi bezhig owa mazininiged ado memaanji niibna maziniiniganan owi aankesingh, ‘Nibiish Gnigaagimisingh‘. Owi Nibiish Gnigaagimisingh aawon anik owi gichi nibiish, zhiwe owi adoon owi biinaagimig nibiish gnigising owi ziitaaganaabo onji owi gichi gamiing. Gaawii niish giigoonig naasaab aawisiiwog zhiwe Donley dankiiwin. Gewe giigoonig naagoziwog nowonj dnowaa waabmdowewin, bezhigosing, zhichigewaad nowonj gego neniish gwa bigwaaji miinwaa gaawii bigwaaji. Gewe giigoonig agii dibenjigewog, dash ayaabi ani aawon owi gagwedwewin “Aaniin Dash giigoonig”?
“The fish means a lot of things. I think fish are the closest thing we have to aliens. They’re very mysterious fellows. They live just below the surface – something like people. And they live in a completely different environment than we do. Of course, they’re also icons, and icons are full of all kinds of meanings.”
Doug Donley 1
“Owa giigoon adamoomigad nowonj dnowaa. Ndo inendam giigoon aawi memaanji besha enowendaagwog e’yaamang bakaanikiing aba onjibaajig. Aawiwog aapaji gwa giimodendaagozijig. Dazhiikewog anamiwiing – owi dibishko bemaadizijig. Miinwaa dazhiikewog gichi bkaan akiing giinwi dash ayaa-ing. Aabdeg dash, ayaawiwog age mazinchiganag, miinwaa mazinchiganag moshkin nowonj edamoomigag.”
Doug Donley 1
Doug Donley, Fish in Bed, 1990. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Giigoonh zhiwe Nibaaganing, 1990. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Cup of Tea and a Blanket, 2001. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Nigo nataas Nibiishaaboo miinwaa Waabowaan, 2001. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Laid Up, 1992. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Aatawaabiigishin, 1992. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
The fish occur in incongruous human-like situations such as lying in bed and talking with a partner before falling asleep, on a couch wrapped in a blanket with a fresh cup of tea on a nearby table, or presiding over a courtroom wearing a bench wig with a gavel nearby. These fish are not pictured in water but appear to swim through air inexplicably. While these scenes could be viewed as fish personified, these fish just as often appear alongside human figures. Laid Up depicts a woman in a nurse’s uniform caring for a fish in a hospital bed. By placing an anomalous being in place of human, Donley offers viewers an alternative narrative to our day-to-day experiences, where “the Fish is sometimes uncanny master of its own fate, sometimes the omniscient observer of our fate, sometimes haplessly caught and doomed by the net of human circumstance.”2
Gewe giigoonig bagami yaawog zhiwe bkaan dnowaa bemaadizid dibishko eshchigewaad diboshko gonaa nibaagining zhigizhing miinwaa ginonaawaad wiijikiwewin jibwaa nibaang, zhiwe gichi pabwining wiikwepizad waabowaaning temigag oshki niibiishaabo zhiwe besha etemigag dopiwin, maage dibaamjigewaad owi dibaaknige gamig biiskamiwaad miinjisekaajigan bakite’igaans besha temigag. Gwanda giigoonig gaawii mazinibiigaasiiwog nibiishing dash zhinaagoziwog dibshko adaa bagiziwog biitwi nodin gaawii nisaschigaadesinag. Aanowi gwa newen ezhinaagwog a’daazhi ginowaabmjigaadenon owa giigoon bemaadizid aawid, gwanda giigoonig gagwech gwa minwe-aapii ayaawog shiwe bemaadizijig mazinchiganag. Aatawaabiigishin waabmdowemigad kwe biiskan mashkikii-kwe gwiwinan naagidowenimaad owa giigoon zhiwe aakozii-gamig nibaagan. Owi ozhishmind owa gwiinwendaagozid ayaawid meshkod dash bemaadizid, Donley miinaan genwaabmjigejig owi bkaan inaajimowin owi gdo ensa giizhigag bimaadiziwinan, zhiwe “owa giingoonh aangwadinong aawid giiwaadendaagozid naagaanziitang ezhiwebizid, aangwodnang owa kina gekendang e’waamdang gdo zhiwebiziwinaa, aangwodnang wiiyaga debinigaaziwaad miinwaa binaajichigaaziwaad owi asabi owi bimaadizing ezhiwebak.”2
Humans are not the only subjects that Donley replaces with fish throughout the Estuary series. Several works feature fish replacing inanimate objects such as a weathervane, a football, and the top of a hot air balloon. Fish can also stand in for other animals such as a dog on a leash in Walking Fish and Beware of Fish, farm animals in Ranch Fish and Barn, and even an insect in Pollinate. There is no limit to the uncanny situations in which the fish finds itself.
Bemaadizijig gaawii goweta aawiziiwog owa Donley meshkoshimaad giigoonin maziwe owi Nibiish Gnigaagimisingh aankesingh. Gmaaminig mazininiganan waabmdowemigad giigoon meshkidosing bemaadiziimigasinag gego dibishko gonaa izhiwebak kiing baamskobideg, bakwaakwod, miinwaa giiji-iing owi gezhideg nodin ombasijigan. Giigoon age adaa meshkodshin gewe bkaan wesiinig dibishko gonaa nimokaajiin ayaad dikobijiganing zhiwe Bemised Giigoonh miinwaa Ayaangwaamizin owa Giigoonh, gitigaan okaanag zhiwe Getigaazad Giigoonh miinwaa Okaan gamig, miinwaa age gnimaa manidoshens zhiwe Maajiigichigewin. Gaawii gego tesino nigaasijigan owi giiwaadendaagwog ezhiwebak zhiwe owa giigoon makodizad.
Text plays an important role in the development of Donley’s ideas. Inspired by the burgeoning world of computers and text analysis, Donley pulls from Biblical stories and common saints’ lives to explore piscatorial encounters with Saint George, Saint John the Baptist, the Grim Reaper, and even the Devil. Donley remarks on the role of narrative in his work stating “some texts are more present in our life… art than first realised.”3
Zhibiigan miigwemigad owi gechi piitendaagwog ayaawong zhiwe owi zhichigaadeg newen Donley ado inendamowinan. Ombimendamong onji owi maajiigingh enigokwaag owi waasamo-asabi mazina-iganan miinwaa zhibiigan dibizhigaadeg, Donley onjibidoon newen Gagiikwe-mazinigan dibaajimowinan miinwaa gichitwaa endaagozid bimaadiziwinan awii nda-gikendang giigoonkengh nakweshkigaaziwaad gewe Gichitwaa Endaagozid George, Gichitwaa Endaagozid John owi Baptist, owa Maanaadaajimowin Baadood, miinwaa age owa Maji Manidoo. Donley kida owi enaabidag owi dibaajimowin zhiwe ado nankiiwin kidad “aanin zhibiiganan woshme temigadoon gdo bimaadiziwininaa… mazininiganan dash owi ntam gikendamang.”3
Doug Donley, Walking Fish, 1991. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Bemised Giigoonh, 1991. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Beware of Fish, 1998. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Ayaangwaamizin owa Giigoonh, 1998. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Ranch Fish, 1991. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Getigaazad Giigoonh, 1991. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Barn, 1993. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Okaan Gamig, 1993. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Pollinate, 1997. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Maajiigichigewin, 1997. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
“The fish is, of course, the hook — a gently comedic device which facilitates the artist’s wry commentary on art history, western narratives, and even on our relationship to the environment.”
Pamela Krueger 4
Director/Curator LUMAC
Doug Donley, Hook, 1999. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Magiskan, 1999. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
“Owa giingoongh aawi, aabdek, owi dikonjigan – owi nengaach waawinendaagwog aabajichigan owi gagaandinong owi mezininiged ado nakwetamowin owi masininigewein, waabshkiiwed ekidowaad, miinwaa age gdo nowendaaziwin owi aki.”
Pamela Krueger 4
Gimaa owi LUMAC
Doug Donley alludes to several famous art historical works. Most notable are Fish on a Half Shell in which the goddess of love from Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus (c. 1480) is replaced by a standing fish, Ophelia (1852) by John Everett Millais, and Olympia which calls upon the work of the same name by Édouard Manet Olympia (1863).
Doug Donley waawiindaanan gmaaminig ishpendaagwog mazinibiigewinan mewizha nakiiwinan. Memaanji ishpaamigag aawinon Giigoonh zhiwe Aabita Dashwaa zhiwe owa manido kwe ow zaagidiwin onji Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus (c. 1480) meshtosijigaaza owa nyaaniibiwid giigoon, Ophelia (1852) owa John Everett Millais, miinwaa Olympia onji waawiinjigaadeg owi nankiiwin owi naasaab noziwin owa Édouard Manet Olympia (1863).
Doug Donley, Fish on a Half Shell, 1993. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Giigoonh zhiwe Aabita Dashwaa, 1993. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Olympia, 1994. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Olympia, 1994. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Ophelia, 1998. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Ophelia, 1998. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Four works evidence Donley’s interest in Surrealism: Young Surrealism, Where Surrealism Comes From, Surrealism Made More Safe, and Post Surrealism. Each depicts a fish in various stages of parachuting, ending with Post Surrealism, a three-quarter view of a house, three white steps leading up to a slightly opened front door, and piles of disregarded fish to each side of the raised step. Donley’s treatment of colour and line in these works and his other coloured pencil pieces lend to the blending of colour and form occurring through the eye of the viewer rather than on the surface of the artwork.
Niiwin nankiiwinaa debwesijigaademigag Donley ado masendang owi Naamdamiwin: Oshki Naamdamiwin, Zhiwe Naamdamiwin Onjibaamigag, Naamdamowin Zhichigaadeg Woshme Waankiimigag, miinwaa Shkwaa Naamdamiwin. Bebezhig waabmdowemigad owa giigoon nowonj apii owi niisibizad, ekwaasemigag owi Shkwaa Naamdamiwin, owi niswi ngogaan naagwog owi wiigwaam, nisiwi dikokaajiganan ani zhaamigag odi bangii nesaakisingh niigaan shkwaandem, miinwaa koshinowaad bebaamenjigaasad giigoon ediwiwiing owi ombisingh dikokaajigan. Donley endoodang owi atisigan miinwaa bimaabiisingh zhinda zhitowinan miinwaa ado bkaan enaandegin zhibiiginaatigoon zhitowinan awiwen owi gnigsijigaademigag tisigan miinwaa mazinaag temigag zhiwe shkiijigwong owa genwaabmdang dash gaawii owi mazinibiigan.
Doug Donley, Young Surrealism, 1991. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Oshki Naamdamiwin, 1991. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Where Surrealism Comes From, 1991. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Zhiwe Naamdamiwin Onjibaamigag, 1991. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Surrealism Made More Safe, 1991. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Naamdamowin Zhichigaadeg Woshme Waankiimigag, 1991. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Post Surrealism, 1992. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Shkwaa Naamdamiwin, 1992. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury
This is Not a Fish is a clear reference to Surrealist painter René Magritte’s The Treachery of Images (1929, known colloquially as This is not a pipe). Magritte’s artwork depicts the image of a pipe, with clean cursive writing beneath it declaring “Ceci n’est pas un pipe”. Donley’s parody includes a rendering of a man smoking a pipe with a fish coming out of the bowl, while a dog looks at both the man and the fish from the background. Donley and Magritte share a certain softness to their works, a visual similarity shared amongst the surrealist artists of the 1920s to 1950s.
Gaawii maaba Aawisii Giigoonh aawon gagwek omjibaamigad owa Naamdamiwin mezinibiiged René Magritte’s The Treachery of Images (1929, gikenjigaadeg dinaangidowin aawong Gaawii maaba aawisii pwagan). Magritte adi mazinibiigan waamdowemigad owi mazinshingh owi pwaagan, owi weweni naagwog waawiye biigan naamiwiing owi wiindamaagemigag “Gaawii maaba aawisii pwagan”. Donley ado gikinwaazaamijigan digosin owi azhidebiiwin owa nini zigaswaanaad pwaaganan digoshingh giigoon zaagijiyaad owi boskinaagan owa pwaagan, bekish nimosh ginowaabmaad owa nini miinwaa giigoon onji shkwe-aang. Donley miinwaa Magritte naasaab bashigendaanaa-aa owi bezhig nokaamigag ado nakiiwiniwaa, owi waabmjigewin zhowaaj maadookidaadiwin gewe inaamdamiwin mezinibiigejig apii 1920 apiinish 1950.
“Sometimes active, sometimes observant – – very often autobiographical – – the fish effects in the viewer a sense of reflection, epiphany or catastrophe, occasionally all in the same drawing.”
Pamela Krueger 5
Director/Curator LUMAC
“Aangwodinong dataadibaag, aangwodinong kowaabmdamiwin – gichi wewiiba bemaadizid dibaajimowin – owa giigoon medookidang owa genwaabmdang owi ishaayaawin owi naagidowendamowin, makowaadendamowin maage gichi binaajichigewin, aangwodinong kina zhiwe naasaab mazinibiigan.”
Pamela Krueger 5
Gimaa owi LUMAC
Donley wrote about his work: “I do not cry on my sleeve about world affairs or environmental disasters, nor do I persist in licking open wounds from childhood. Instead I make fish into actors who mime my concerns.”6
Donley zhibii-aan owi ado nakiiwin: “Gaawii ndo mawisii ndo nagway onji maziwe kamig ezhiwebak maage aki binaajichigewinan, miinwaa gaawi ndo aabaji noskwaadiziinan byaagising wiisgaapinewinan owi agii binojiiniyaan. Meshkod dash ndo zhi-aag giigoonig awi memaanjiinijig e’gikinwaabmdamwaad ndo zinagendamowinan.”6
Doug Donley, Spawning, 1990. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Waakoon, 1990. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Works like Spawning and Hidden Danger do reference concerns about environmental pollution, fish encountering large drainage pipes spewing refuse in various shades of green. In the piece Not Only to Fish a fish is caught up in a cloud of exhaust smoke from a car. Faintly in the background, a human figure can be seen playing with a dog in a park. While the fish is the one primarily impacted by the pollution in the image, the other figures are just as affected. Now that we have seen the fish experiencing our lives, can we fathom experiencing theirs?
Kidiwinan dibishko Waakoon miinwaa Aagwasingh Neniizaanag a’nowendaagwod zinagendamowinan owi aki wiininaamowin, giigoonig nakweshkamowaad gichi okikwaagiko nagish bimijiwong webinigan owi nowonj ozhaawishkwaandemigag. Owi masina’igan Gaawii Goweta Giigoonh owa giigoon baataashing owi ankwad owi gaa-andaabitemigag onji daabaan. Gaawaan gwa zhiwe shkwe-aang, owa bemaadizid mazinshing adaa waabmjigaaza wiidokwaad nimoon zhiwe gojiin enji minendaagozing. Aanowi gwa owa giingoon aawi bezhigwod madookidaagwad owi aki wiininaamowin zhiwe owi mazinaatesing, gewe aanin mezinishinajig gewiinwaa madookidaagaaziwog. Miidash agii waabmdaming owa giigoon gikendang gdo bimaadiziwinaa, gdaa nisawendaanaa ani gikendamong awiin bimaadiziwin?
Doug Donley, Lazarus, 1993. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Lazarus, 1993. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
An autobiographical theme that Doug Donley explores in his artworks and poetry is a relationship with alcohol. Artworks such as Bar which depicts a fish sitting on a bar stool, smoking a cigarette with a freshly poured shot of an alcoholic beverage in front of him and Alley Way are examples of this autobiographical reference.
Owi dibaajimidizad ayaawong owi Doug Donley ondane-aan zhiwe ado mazininiganan miinwaa dekobiigaadeg zhibiigan aawon e’nowendaagwog owi ishkode’aabo. Maziniiniganan dibishko Minikwe Gamig owi waabmdowemigad owa giigoon nimadibid zhiwe minikwe gamig pabiwin, zigaaswaad sema’in owi oshki ziiginigaadeg owi ishkode’aabo niigan nimadibid miinwaa Dikamojiigan aawinon gikonwaabmjiganan owi ado dibaajimidizad.
In addition to being an artist, Doug Donley was a prolific poet. In his poetry Donley explores similar themes to those he expressed in his artworks. In the piece titled there is a… he dictates:
Aanke owi aawid mezininiged, Doug Donley age agii aawi niibna aansoked dikobiigaadeg zhibiiged. Zhiwe ado dikobiigaadeg zhibiigan Donley dowaabmdaan dibishko naasaab ayaawong newen agaa waabmdowemigag ado maziniiniganan. Owi zhibiigan ezhinikaadeg temgad owi… agii dinaangidoon:
Doug Donley, Bar, 1991. Coloured pencil on Alpharag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Minikwe Gamig, 1991. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe Gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
at the bar I speak the wrong language
and scribble in a book that I had the forethought to bring
then I smoke my pencil
not to make fun of the other patrons
but as a nervous habit when tweaking out truths
that are not extremely profound
though make the beer go further.7
odi minikwe gamig ndo dinaangidoon owi maanaajigiizhiwewin miinwaa zhibiige zhiwe mazinigining owi agaa makendamaa awii biido-aan miidash zigaswaadmaa ndo zhibiiginaatig gaawii awii baabaapnadag gewe aanin abi giizhpinajigejig dash owi aawong ojaanimendamoskii-aan apii kidiiyaan debwewinan newen gaawii gechi mashkowetaagwog aanowi owi zhingobaabo woshme waasa zhaamigag.7
Doug Donley, Dragnet, 1992. Coloured pencil on Alpharag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Agwaabinaagan, 1992. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Dragnet depicts three fish sharing a drink around a cocktail table, but rather than the fish being overcome by the beverages they are sharing, their evening is disrupted by the human activity of fishing through the use of a dragnet. While the interpretation of these works can vary from viewer to viewer based on prior experiences and knowledge, the message speaks the loudest in Donley’s works where fish are in their proper context.
Agwaabinaagan waabmdowemigad nisiwi giigoonig maamowi minikwewaad gaataawiing minikwe doopiwin, dash meshkod owa giigoon zhaagoowigwad newen minikwewinan waaji minikwewaad, ado oshki naagishig nashkwechigaademigag owi bemaadizijig enakiiwaad giigoonkewaad zhiwe owi nikaaziwaad owi agwaabinaagan. Aanowi gwa aanikanootamang ninda nankiiwinan adaa bakaan-aad bezhig genwaabmdang apiinish owa bekaanzid genwaabmdang onjibaamigag newen zhaazhigwaa agaa zhiwebiziwaad miinwaa gikendamowin, owi wiindamaagewin maanji gizhiiwemigad zhiwe Donley ado nakiiwinan owi giigoonig ayaawog ado gagwek endazhiikewaad.
The popular trope of drinking while fishing is played upon here, as it is in the poem Beer doesn’t catch, where Donley explores the enigmatic social paradigms of the human race, and ultimately himself using woodland creatures and fish as metaphors.
Owi beshigenjigaadeg izhi wiizhiwewin owi minikweng epiichi giigoonkeng wiidookidaagemigad zhinda, dibishko ezhi aawong zhiwe dikobiigaadeg zhibiigan Zhingowaabo gaawii debinaasiin, zhiwe Donley ndowaabmdang newen mamaandaawong wiijiyaang naasaab zhichigewinan gewe bemaadizijig, miinwaa gegipii awiin nikaazad mitigwaaki wesiinig miinwaa giigoonig aawiwaad aankeshijiginan.
“Beer doesn’t catch fish, fish catches beer”
Doug Donley 8
“Zhingowaabo gaawii debinaasiin giigoonin, giigoonig debinaan zhingowaabo”
Doug Donley 8
Of the Estuary works in the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury collection, fish are represented underwater the least. Five of these works also feature hooks, fishing lines, or other forms of fishing equipment to entice the fish.
Owi Nibiish Gnigaagimisingh nankiiwinan zhiwe owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury maandosijigan, giigoonig waabmjigaaziwog naambiing, aawon memaanji bangii. Naanon ninda nankiiwinan age waabdowemigadon magiskinan, magiskineyaabiin, maage bkaan dnowaa giigoonkeng nikaaziwinan awii wiikwazomind owa giigoon.
Doug Donley, Spirit of Fish, 1992. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Jichaag owa Giigoonh, 1992. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Temptation, 1993. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Gagweji-iwewin, 1993. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, A Way to Go, 1994. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Owi Nikiiyaa Azhaang, 1994. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Bad Bait, 2001. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Maji Shamoojigan, 2001. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Memento, 2003. Coloured pencil on rag. Collection of the Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury.
Doug Donley, Memento, 2003. E’titemigag zhibiiginaatig zhiwe gidagiigining. Maandosijigan owi Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury.
The interpretation of Donley’s fish cannot be restricted. Every scenario imagined by Donley incorporates the fish, as an icon, a representative symbol frozen in time. The meaning or messages are not always straightforward leaving the viewer to bring their own meaning to the work. The fish themselves appear at ease out of the water, floating with unbothered expressions through the air. After spending time looking through Donley’s large body of Estuary works, the figure of the fish becomes endearing to the viewer. Even if the scenes remain unnerving at times, we are ultimately driven to change our question from “Why fish?” to “Why not fish?”.
Owi aanikanootamowin owi Donley giigoonman gaawii adaa nigaasijigaadesino. Ensa bezhig ezhinaagwog moonendang owa Donley digoshin owa giigoon, aawid mazinchigan, owi gikinwaajinaagozi mashkowaakiji owi apiichaag. Owi edamoomigag maage wiindamaagewinan gaawii pane gagwek aawizinon baginind owa genwaabmdang awii biidood awiin dinendamowin owi nakiiwin. Gewe giigoonig wiinwaa zhinaagoziwog minendamoog zaagiji nibiish, babaamaashiwaad owi gaawii bibaamendizinaagoziwog biinji nodin. Shkwaa bibaayaanaa ginowaabmdamaa Donley gichi niibna newen Nibiish Gnigaagimisingh nankiiwinan, owi mazinishing owa giigoon abi minwenimaan owa genwaabmaad. Giishpin gego newen nowonj ngoji aabaji gotaanendaagodoon aangwadnang, gdo gegipii ani gagaandinigomi awii aanjito-ing gdo gagwedwewinaa onji “Aaniish Giigoon?” apiinish “Aaniish Gaawii Giigoon?”.
“To those I never met: I want you all to know now that I am gone and that tomorrow is another day and something foolish will come of it. When that happens think of me, fish or no fish.”
Doug Donley 9
“Gewe gaawii wiikaa agaa nakweshwaasiwaag: Ndo dowendaan kina awii gikendameg nongo agii maajaayaan miinwaa waabang aawon bkaan giizhigad miinwaa gego gagiibaadendaagwog adabi wiiji temigag. Apii owi zhiwebak makwenimishin, giigoon maage gaawii gwaya giigoon.”
Doug Donley 9
Endnotes
1 Quote from Doug Donley, from Rob O’Flanagan, ‘Artist’s drawings are tantalizing to behold.’, Sudbury Star, 7 February 1998: A14.
2 Laurentian University Museum and Art Centre Communiqé, November 1994.
3 Margaret Rodgers, “From the Image”, DOUG DONLEY, The Mill Gallery: Visual Arts Centre of Clarington, Bowmanville, ON, 1999, p. 2-3,5.
4 Pamela Krueger, Director/Curator of Laurentian University Museum and Art Centre, Letter regarding “Doug Donley: The Fish Series”, September 1, 1993.
5 Ibid.
6 Letter to the selection committee at A Space Gallery, from Doug Donley, March 17, 1996.
7 Doug Donley, “there is a…,” in I, Doug Donley, ed. Mary Green (Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury, 2009), 83.
8 Doug Donley, “Beer Doesn’t Catch…,” in I, Doug Donley, ed. Mary Green (Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury, 2009), 77.
9 Doug Donley, “My Last Will and Letter to the Editor,” in I, Doug Donley, ed. Mary Green (Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury, 2009), 124.
More Information
Donley, Doug. I, Doug Donley. Edited by Mary Green. Sudbury, Ontario: Art Gallery of Sudbury | Galerie d’art de Sudbury, 2009.
Gikendamowin agaa Dinigaademigag
1 Giigidobiigan owa Doug Donley, onji Rob O’Flanagan, “Meziniinchigejig mazinibiimowinan ombendamowemigad waabmigaaziwaad”, Sudbury Star, 7 Mkwa-giizis 1998: A14.
2 Laurentian Ishpi Gikinomaage Gamig Getewiin enji Zigakinigaadeg miinwaa Mazinibiiganan Wiigwaam Wiindamaagewin, Baashkaakodin-giizis 1994.
3 Margaret Rodgers, “Onji owa Mazinchigan”, DOUG DONLEY, Owi Mill Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig: Visual Arts Centre of Clarington, Bowmanville, ON, 1999, baakiiginan 2-3,5.
4 Pamela Krueger, Gimaa owi Laurentian Ishpi Gikinomaage Gamig Getewiin enji Zigakinigaadeg miinwaa Mazinibiiganan Wiigwaam minwaa Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig, Maajiibiigan owa “Doug Donley: Owi Giigoon Aankesingh”, Waababagaa-giizis 1, 1993.
5 Pamela Krueger, Gimaa owi Laurentian Ishpi Gikinomaage Gamig Getewiin enji Zigakinigaadeg miinwaa Mazinibiiganan Wiigwaam minwaa Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig, Maajiibiigan owa “Doug Donley: Owi Giigoon Aankesingh”, Waababagaa-giizis 1, 1993.
6 Maajiibiigan odi owi wenaamjige inaaknigejig odi Owi SpaceMazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig, onji Doug Donley, Onaabdin-giizis 17, 1996
7 Doug Donley, “temgad owi…,” zhiwe I, Doug Donley, nanaawitowin owa Mary Green (Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury, 2009), 83
8 Doug Donley, “Zhingowaabo gaawii debinaasiin…,” zhiwe I, Doug Donley, nanaawitowin owa Mary Green (Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury, 2009), 77.
9 Doug Donley, “Ndo Ekwaa Ashodamaagewin Nigadamaa miinwaa Maajiibiigan odi owa Ezhibiiged”, zhiwe I, Doug Donley, nanaawitowin owa Mary Green (Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury, 2009), 124.
Donley, Doug. I, Doug Donley. nanaawitowin owa Mary Green. Sudbury, Ontario: Mazininigewinan Waabmdoweng Gamig odi Sudbury, 2009.
Text by Ally Zmijowskyj Carlos & Kaylee Sova
Zhibiigan owa Ally Zmijowskyj Carlos & Kaylee Sova