Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun Lets’lo:tseltun, of Cowichan (Hul’q’umi’num Coast Salish) and Okanagan (Syilx) descent, is one of Canada’s most influential and unflinching contemporary artists. For over four decades, Lawrence has used painting, installation, and performance to challenge colonial narratives, confront systemic injustices, and assert Indigenous sovereignty. His work is both politically charged and artistically groundbreaking—often combining traditional Coast Salish aesthetics with surrealist and pop art influences to powerful effect.
Living and working on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples, Lawrence has exhibited globally, including at the Tate Modern, the Vancouver Art Gallery, and the National Gallery of Canada.
In 2016, the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia mounted a major 30-year survey of his work, titled Unceded Territories, cementing his status as a critical voice in Indigenous and contemporary art. Lawrence’s art demands engagement, calling viewers to reckon with truth, history, and the future of this land.
