Kent Monkman Study for The Examination

Kent Monkman (b.1965) Study for The Examination Brown pencil, watercolour and gouache on paper, 2008, signed in pencil lower right, sheet 540 x 730mm (21 1/4 x 28 3/4in) (framed) Provenance: With Stephen Friedman Gallery, London Framed dimensions: 82 x 64cm *VAT (currently 20%) is payable on the hammer price as well as the premium. This may be reclaimed if the buyer is VAT registered or the item is promptly exported outside of the EU. ***Kent Monkman is a Canadian Cree contemporary artist whose multidisciplinary practice explores colonialism, Indigenous identity, sexuality and the representation of history. A member of Fisher River Cree Nation in Manitoba, Monkman is renowned for challenging traditional Western art history, particularly its portrayal of Indigenous peoples. His paintings, drawings, installations and performances frequently combine historical references with contemporary perspectives, questioning established narratives of power and cultural identity. His gender-fluid alter ego, Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, appears throughout his work as a means of reversing the colonial gaze. Study for The Examination (2008) is a preparatory drawing for the painting of the same title, it demonstrates Monkman’s sill in conceiving the careful development of complex figurative compositions. The work invites reflection on the act of scrutiny itself: who is observed, judged and granted authority. Through its preparatory format, the drawing offers insight into Monkman’s working process, revealing how carefully constructed imagery can challenge conventional perspectives on history and representation. Monkman’s use of traditional European artistic techniques is central to his practice, allowing him to appropriate established visual conventions while challenging the historical assumptions they embody. His work questions who has the authority to represent the past and whose experiences have been marginalised. Through this combination of technical precision and critical engagement, Monkman creates imagery that confronts colonial histories while asserting the continuing presence, resilience and cultural significance of Indigenous peoples.

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