Thomas V. Hill
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Thomas V. Hill
Lifetime Achievement (2024)
Konadaha Seneca, Six Nations of the Grand River, ON
“Artists are continually evolving, struggling with themselves to interpret reality. They live in the present and not in the past. They are artists first which is clearly indicative that the Native Cultures in Canada are healthy and evolving.”
For over 50 years, the multitalented Thomas Hill worked to showcase the transformative power of Indigenous art. Tom graduated from the Ontario College of Art (now OCAD University) in 1967 and was instrumental in creating the Indians of Canada Pavilion at Expo ’67 in Montreal while continuing his studies on a scholarship at the National Gallery of Canada and Carleton University.
The following year, he took a position as director of the newly-created Cultural Development section of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (now CIRNAC), where he engaged in important dialogue with stakeholders about promoting more realistic, less stereotypical depictions of Indigenous peoples. He led the way in emphasizing the need for self-directed presentation of Indigenous arts by Indigenous peoples.
In 1982, Tom became the Museum Director and Curator of the Woodland Cultural Centre located on the site of the former Mohawk Institute Indian Residential School on Six Nations Territory. For twenty years, Tom guided the organization in the development of programming, exhibitions, festivals, and other initiatives. Under his leadership, the Centre became an internationally renowned artistic and performance venue.
Tom published widely; his works serve as valuable guides that have shaped everything from curation to exhibition to the decolonization of artistic spaces. He mentored many young Indigenous artists across Turtle Island and was a founding member of the Indigenous Education Council at OCAD University.
Tom earned numerous accolades, including a Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts. He was invested as a Member of the Order of Ontario in 1993 to recognize his work in promoting Indigenous art as well as his contribution to the Canadian Museums Association’s Task Force Report on Museums and First Peoples. This document was pivotal in redefining the relationship between Indigenous peoples and museums in Canada.
As well as a renowned artist, Tom was also an adept playwright, performer, author, art historian, administrator, filmmaker, and mentor. Active in the Six Nations community, he also presented at conferences across Canada and around the world, creating and fostering positive relationships with artists, curators, and museums.
On November 11, 2023, surrounded by his loved ones, Tom Hill passed away. His wide-reaching artistic legacy continues to inspire, educate, and entertain new generations.
