Jeff Thomas (b. 1956, Buffalo, New York) is a nationally recognized Urban-Iroquois photo-based artist, story teller, writer, and curator based in Ottawa, Ontario. Through his work, curatorial practice and written publications, he has led major projects at prominent national cultural institutions such as the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Woodlands Cultural Centre, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Library and Archives Canada. Jeff Thomas’s ground- breaking work has solidified his place at the forefront of scholarship in Indigenous histories.

In his photography practice, he examines historical and contemporary views of Indigeneity and addresses the impact of issues such as urbanization, land ownership and historical ways of representation. The exhibition The Indigenous Map Maker’s Room, presents work from his larger photo series, Indians on Tour, which features toy figurines posed in front of national monuments and landscapes. Thomas reframes the stereotypical representation of the figures, presenting them as tourists in a contemporary environment, challenging preconceptions of Indigenous peoples and Indigenous history.

Read the interview here. Watch the interview here.

Curated by Carolyn Hickey

Installation photos by Dennis Hristovski