The Holy Canadian Martyrs
From the series “The Quebec Pavilion”

The Holy Canadian Martyrs is one of a series of works entitled “The Quebec Pavilion” (2000-2003) in which the Quebec painter and poet Cynthia G. Renard (Cynthia Girard) revisited the history of Quebec and its founding myths. They provide a critical reappraisal of the development of Quebec’s national identity, which was long under the sway of religion’s power. Renard returned to a number of stories passed down through generations, using satire to underline their inconsistencies. By here illustrating the various tortures endured by Canadian missionaries at the hands of Indigenous peoples, the artist denounces the version of history propagated by the colonizers, in which the torturer is deemed the victim. On a monochrome background that pays homage to Quebec’s Plasticien art movement, Renard superimposes comic book-style scenes, whose apparent naivety serves as a reminder that these were the stories taught to children for many years. The series draws from the paintings of George Catlin (1796-1872) and Cornelius Krieghoff (1815-1872), who are often faulted for their stereotypical representations of Indigenous peoples and French Canadians. Here, the artist, known for their humorous and critical tone, plays on this reading.