Truth Image Goes Viral:
Kingston Artist Portia Po Chapman’s Indigenous Illustration for Queen’s University

Queen's University Truth Image Web Icon by Kingston Artist Portia Po Chapman Featuring an Indigenous Clan Mother Sharing Stories of Truth Around a Sacred Fire. Around the Circular Outside Edge is a Sweetgrass Braid and Two Bald Eagle Feathers

The “Truth” image went viral during the week leading up to Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Sept. 2021. Across Canada, the image was featured with an orange background. In this post, Po expands upon the image and how it’s popularity took off during that week, click here. The truth image was one of 10 Indigenous Themed icons that Po was commissioned to illustrate Indigenous “Ways of Knowing” for the Queen’s University Office of Indigenous Initiatives website in 2020.

Since then, the icons from the collection decorate and honour a multitude of Queen’s University documents and events. When Po created the icons, the brief was to create something similar to the University of Saskatchewan images. The brief that she was given went a step further, “but one-of-a-kind.” The commissioning committee wanted Po to create illustrations that distinguished Queen’s University from all other Universities. So, in short, the brief was like having one’s cake and being able to eat it too. To paraphrase the brief, one could say: “illustrate icons like U of S, but make them nothing like U of S.”

When Po offered her idea of creating circular icons, like buttons, that could be easily used across the University platforms, it was a NEW concept. Contemporary graphic circular Indigenous Illustrations were, in general, not being used by other Universities, so there was really no comparison at the time. It can be argued that if one sees circular, graphic icons like the ones the Queen’s University has, it was because Po and the OII created them first.

The icons also featured Po’s circular composition and artistic style that is inspired by wild grapevine silhouettes cast by the bright noonday sun.

It was quite the day, September 30, 2021, for Po who was inundated with a multitude of requests to use the “Truth” image because the public, somehow, began to view it as the new Orange Shirt Day for the “Every Child Matters” campaign. With each call, Po referred the people to the Queen’s OII because they commissioned the image.

Now that 3 National Days for Truth and Reconciliation have passed (Queen’s Gazette ), it seems that the public have adopted the image as another representation of Truth and Reconciliation during Orange Shirt Day. Here are some links to examples of where the image has been shared and/or published:
Women’s Shelter
Girl Guides of Canada
York School Board
Pickering College
Municipality of Dundurn
Newmarket Mayor’s Office
Fringe Toronto
Queens Arc
Queens Law

Po’s contemporary art style and circular imagery has been growing more popular since Queen’s University published the images on the OII website. This past September 2023 the Broadview Press Indigenous Philosophies of Turtle Island Anthology: Ways of Being in the World featured her artwork. The editor from Oklahoma , Andrea Sullivan-Clarke and University of Windsor professor contacted Po because of the Queen’s Page. Also a Salish construction and land development company (the branding has not yet been made public, so the images have net yet been publicly released for public viewing) commissioned Po to do their new logo and branding imagery based upon the “Elder in Residence” image from the Queen’s Faculty of Education Indigenous Initiatives.

The Inspirations of the “Truth” Illustration by Portia Po Chapman were Indigenous Story and Storytelling.

Portia Chapman’s Indigenous Illustrations Published

Indigenous Art Page

This week, during National Day for Truth and Reconciliation week, Queen’s University featured the Indigenous Illustration, “Truth.” I was commissioned to create these illustrations by the Queen’s Indigenous Initiatives Department for their website. Since then, the illustrations have been beautifully featured as integral elements to the Queen’s University Truth and Reconciliation Task Force Implementation Report – Year 3. This week, “Truth” is being shared on various sites, apps and pages. Also, a Zoom / Microsoft Teams background with the illustration was created so that you can use it for your meeting backgrounds, especially Queen’s departments today. Today is Orange Shirt Day – Every Child Matters. The following is a short video of me explaining the inspiration that guided my creation of this beautiful image.

Indigenous Story and Storytelling inspired me.

Since I wanted the illustrations to be interpretive, I struggled to provide art interpretations. But as I was creating these images, I could hear and see words. For this illustration, I kept seeing and hearing: “Truth.” But the truth that I kept repeatedly experiencing was not the word, but rather the action and essence of Truth. There were times that I could feel the Sprit of Truth guiding me as the spirit whispered in my ear with faint drumming and singing surrounding us.

As a visual storyteller with Indigenous heritage, generations of my ancestors were silenced as their/our culture was wiped from public display. It was only through story and storytelling did I learn my family’s story. It was because of story and storytelling that I grew to cherish my heritage and ancestry. Our truth may have been hidden from the general public, but it remained alive in our family. Now with my aging family, so many have died but their story is alive as ever.

In the illustration, you will notice a circle of people sharing stories of TRUTH. At the top of the gathering circle, there is a pinkish, larger figure. To me, she represents both Spirit and Clan Mother / Grandmother. She exudes story and the embodiment of truth. She is active and alive as she shares the Truth with the generations to follow her. The orangish space in the middle is a ceremonial fire gathering everyone together.

So as you can see, “Truth,” tells a living story or storytelling. After everything that has been lost, gained or changed over time, Indigenous STORY and STORYTELLING has continued to tell TRUTH!

As an integral part of the Truth and Reconciliation process, please hear the stories of Indigenous Peoples from across this land. It is through hearing the stories shared that we may all, in Truth, move forward together.