Andrea Carlson (descended from Grand Portage Ojibwe and European settlers, b. 1979), The Poison that is its Own Cure, 2007. Oil, acrylic, ink, color pencil, and graphite on paper; 22 x 30 in. Collection Bockley Gallery, Minneapolis. © and courtesy of Andrea Carlson
Logan Lecture: Andrea Carlson
Andrea Carlson imagines in-between spaces of dislocation and belonging, destruction and reclamation, domination and liberation. Carlson (Grand Portage Ojibwe and European settler descent) considers how the land is an embodiment of a people’s histories and memories, creating intense and deeply introspective landscapes comprising prismatic layers of color, text, flora, fauna, and cultural objects.
Carlson contemplates “deep time” and cycles of the natural world, using multiple sheets of paper to suggest the movement of objects, landforms, and other characters. Her dynamic compositions reference issues of ecology, challenge colonial narratives in the US, and envision a future of long-lasting Native resilience, knowledge, and survival.
Carlson joins Rory Padeken, Vicki and Kent Logan Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, in a conversation about her process, inspiration, and influences. Andrea Carlson: A Constant Sky is on view at the museum through February 16, 2026.
This event is part of the 2025-26 Logan Lecture Series.
Andrea Carlson (descended from Grand Portage Ojibwe and European settlers, b. 1979), Ink Babel, 2014. Ink and oil on paper; 115 3/8 x 183 3/8 in. Collection Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: Restricted gift of Emerge, 2021.12.a-hhh. © and courtesy of Andrea Carlson
Andrea Carlson (Grand Portage Ojibwe and European descent, born 1979), Anti-Retro, 2018.19-layer screenprint on White Coventry Rag paper; 33 1/2 x 47 3/4 in. Published by Highpoint Editions, Minneapolis. Denver Art Museum: Native Arts acquisition funds and funds from the Ralph L. & Florence R. Burgess Trust, 2020.881. © Andrea Carlson, courtesy of the artist and Highpoint Editions
Andrea Carlson (descended from Grand Portage Ojibwe and European settlers, b. 1979), Cannibal Ferox, 2008. Oil, acrylic, color pencil, graphite on paper; 45 1/2 x 61 in. Denver Art Museum: Native Arts acquisition funds and funds from the Ralph L. & Florence R. Burgess Trust, 2020.886A-D. © Andrea Carlson
Andrea Carlson (descended from Grand Portage Ojibwe and European settlers, b. 1979), The Tempest, 2008. Oil, acrylic, ink, color pencil, and graphite on paper; 94 in. x 120 in. Denver Art Museum: Gift of Brian A. Tschumper and Benton Greer, 2023.486A-P. © Andrea Carlson
Andrea Carlson (descended from Grand Portage Ojibwe and European settlers, b. 1979), Deep River Savages, 2009–2010. Mixed media on four sheets of heavy wove paper; 45 1/2 x 60 1/2 in. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa: Purchased 2011. © Andrea Carlson. Photo courtesy NGC
Artist Bio
Born in 1979, Andrea Carlson earned her BA in 2003 from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis and MFA in 2005 from Minneapolis College of Art & Design. Her honors include fellowships from the Joan Mitchell Foundation and United States Artists Fellowship and awards from Artadia and Creative Capital. Carlson has had solo exhibitions at the Minneapolis Institute of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; and University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor. Her work is included in permanent collections of the Denver Art Museum; Milwaukee Art Museum; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, among others. Carlson is the co-founder of the Center for Native Futures, an art space dedicated to the work of Native artists in Chicago, and lives and works in Minnesota.
Since 2007, the Logan Lecture Series at the Denver Art Museum has presented talks by over 120 contemporary artists. Organized by the Modern and Contemporary Art department, the series is made possible through the generous support of Vicki and Kent Logan.
