Christi Belcourt

Finalist, First Nations Communities READ

Christi Belcourt is a Métis visual artist whose ancestry originates from the historic Métis community of Mânitou Sâkhigan (Lac Ste. Anne) in Alberta. She has a deep respect for Mother Earth and the traditions and knowledge of her people. She is also known for her work as a community-based artist, environmentalist, and advocate for the lands, waters, and rights of Indigenous peoples.

Christi Belcourt is the first book devoted exclusively to Belcourt’s life and work: her early paintings showcasing the natural world’s beauty and interconnectedness, her monumental "flower beadwork" paintings, and her recent collaborations with Isaac Murdoch, an Anishinaabe knowledge keeper. Drawn from a national touring exhibition, these works of art inspire reflection, provoke conversation, and call for action.

The book, with text in English and Anishinaabemowin, features a powerful artist’s statement by Christi Belcourt, and illuminating essays written by scholars Sherry Farrell Racette, Dylan Miner, and exhibition curator Nadia Kurd.