Claude Latour bridges Algonquin tradition and digital art

Claude Latour stands at the intersection of two worlds — Algonquin tradition and digital innovation. His latest exhibition, opening Friday at Patrick Gordon Framing, embodies that bridge.

Latour is Algonquin from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, connected by bloodline to the bear clan — Makwa. The stories passed down through his mother's side honour the bear's attributes: dream interpretation, healing knowledge, and guardianship. But Makwa represents more than tradition for Latour. The bear's temperament — strength balanced by quietness, reflection, and healing during hibernation — has shaped his artistic vision and personal character. He describes the bear's "gift of playfulness and imagination" as intrinsically tied to both his being and his work.

For decades, Latour has seamlessly woven ancient Algonquin teachings into modern digital media installations and works that occupy public spaces. His latest series, *Makwa's Blessings*, continues that fusion. The exhibition features photo-based works inspired by the bear, exploring themes of strength, quietness, and healing.

Two pieces in the show document imagery from a war memorial. Latour hopes they will "remind the viewer that we as human beings do not have the consciousness to prevent ourselves from creating the act of matricide against our own Mother Earth" — a message he feels especially urgent in today's world, where history seems destined to repeat.

Latour, a graduate of the University of Ottawa's Bachelor of Fine Arts program, is currently immersed in several creative projects that blend emerging technologies with artistic exploration. His *Yellow House Series* consists of thirteen 11-by-14-inch sketchbooks filled with automatist black-and-white ink drawings created by hand. These works are then studied through photography, capturing images and spirits before being transformed into new mixed-media pieces.

He is also developing *Nucleation and Lace*, a project using photography to examine interconnected phenomena that define visual and sensory experience — continuing his practice of using technology as a bridge between the ancient and the contemporary.

The vernissage for *Makwa's Blessings* takes place Friday, June 12, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Patrick Gordon Framing, located at 160 Elm Street. Latour will be on hand to discuss his work and its relationship to Algonquin teachings.

For an Ottawa artist rooted in Indigenous tradition but fluent in digital culture, the exhibition represents a moment of visibility — and a conversation about how we move forward.