Sculpture is an art form that Aboriginal people have long used to express themselves. By carving or shaping natural materials such as stone, wood, bone or antlers, Aboriginal sculptors have always given shape to scenes from everyday life, imaginary characters and episodes from legends. Like all forms of art, Aboriginal sculpture has evolved over time, incorporating abstract or new shapes and different materials.
Denis Charrette is a sculptor and engraver of Algonquin descent (Anishinabeg). He likes to illustrate the legends of his culture, and besides sculpting in wood or stone, he also uses snow and sand. At the Omega Park in Montebello, he created several sculptures representing the First Nations of Quebec, as well as The Thunderbird, a work under which visitors pass at the end of their walk on the First Nations Trail.
Allen Gregoire is also a sculptor and engraver who is part of the Innu Nation of Mashteuiatsh. For him, it is important to partner with other artists to keep the knowledge, wisdom and poetry of the First Nations alive. He says, “I want children to ask questions when they see [the work] and for the adults to have no choice but to tell the children what they know. Otherwise, this knowledge will get lost, because it isn’t written anywhere.” Three sculptures by Allen Grégoire were exhibited at the Musée du Louvre in Paris in 2005.