David General
(1950–)
David General
1950–
David General (1950– ) is an Indigenous artist of Oneida/Mohawk heritage and is a member of the Six Nations of the Grand River. He has garnered acclaim for a distinctive blend of Indigenous sensibilities and modernist presentation in his artwork. David’s artistic approach places significant emphasis on observation, exploration, and experimentation. His creative process is often described as “reductive,” focusing on simplification and refinement. He utilizes various materials such as Carrara marble, Indiana limestone, Quebec serpentine, Italian Alabaster, and bronze. For smaller carved works, he incorporates domestic and exotic hardwoods, including ironwood, walnut, Turkish boxwood, and Gaboon ebony. He also crafts brooches and mask pendants that can be worn as personal adornments or serve as models for larger-scale artworks.
Since 1980, David has committed himself as a full-time sculptor, refining a modernist style that employs marble and bronze as his preferred artistic mediums. Notably, his recent works tend to be grand; an example of this can be seen in a commission titled She Dances with the Earth, Water, and Sky, 2019. In this project, General celebrates the enduring history of the Anishinaabe people and their connection to the land.
Before his artistic career, David held various positions, including working as a journeyman bridge and structural steel ironworker, an elementary school teacher, and an arts & culture officer within the federal government. He also dedicated several years to public service as a member of the Six Nations Elected Council. Initially serving as a Councillor, he later assumed the role of Elected Chief from 2004 to 2007.
General’s sculptures have been featured in the permanent collections of institutions such as The Royal Ontario Museum, McMichael Canadian Collection, Indian Art Centre Collection, Indian and Northern Affairs, Woodland Indian Cultural Educational Centre, Thunder Bay National Exhibition Centre, Ontario Crafts Council, McIntosh Gallery at the University of Western Ontario, and the Dunlop Art Gallery in Regina.