The Iconography of Canada in Contemporary Art

Canadian artist Brandy Saturley explores the evolving symbols and stories that shape our shared national identity. Through the lens of Canada in Contemporary Art, she reinterprets familiar icons – from the maple leaf and poppy to plaid, landscapes, and sports imagery – offering fresh perspectives on what it means to be Canadian today. Her paintings blend pop culture with fine art, creating a visual language that is distinctly modern and deeply rooted in place.

Canada in Contemporary Art – by Brandy Saturley

Canada’s visual identity has long been defined by its icons – the red maple leaf, the wilderness, the hockey rink, the beaver, the canoe. In my work, I approach these symbols as living entities rather than fixed emblems. They evolve through use, repetition, and reinterpretation, much like the people and stories they represent. By isolating and reimagining these motifs within contemporary compositions, I aim to question how they function in our collective consciousness. Is the maple leaf still a symbol of unity, or has it become a brand? Can plaid, once a pattern of practicality, be redefined as a marker of belonging and identity? My paintings invite viewers to reconsider these familiar images and their place in the modern cultural landscape.

Plaid: The Fabric of the Nation

Plaid appears throughout my work as a recurring motif – a nod to the everyday and the iconic. It’s both garment and flag, a pattern that connects coast to coast. In some paintings, plaid becomes a stand-in for the landscape itself, a woven texture of geography and memory. By incorporating this humble fabric into my visual vocabulary, I elevate it from background to subject, transforming it into a metaphor for the fabric of Canada – layered, intersecting, and full of variation.

The Poppy and Collective Memory

The Remembrance Day poppy holds a profound place in Canada’s national story. In my work, I often reinterpret the poppy within contemporary contexts – a denim jacket, a painted button, a symbolic pocket. These intimate compositions speak to remembrance not as ceremony, but as personal connection. Through these paintings, I explore how symbols of sacrifice and reflection continue to evolve, reminding us that national identity is both inherited and continually rewritten.

Canada in Contemporary Art: Landscape as Identity

Landscape remains a defining force in Canadian art, from the Group of Seven to contemporary painters. My work continues this tradition while expanding its focus – seeing landscape not only as physical terrain but as emotional and psychological space. The mountains, oceans, and skies that appear in my paintings are infused with personal experience, shaped by travel across Canada’s diverse regions. By blending realism with pop sensibility, I create scenes that are both recognizable and dreamlike – spaces where memory, myth, and identity converge.

Icons in Dialogue with Popular Culture

Canada’s cultural symbols exist alongside its popular imagery – musicians, athletes, and everyday heroes. My paintings often place these icons in conversation, revealing how both high and low culture contribute to the national story. From hockey masks to denim jackets, these objects become vessels of meaning – accessible, yet rich with history. They remind us that Canadian identity is not confined to institutions, but lives in the gestures, garments, and shared experiences of its people.

A Living Iconography

The iconography of Canada is not static – it shifts with time, generation, and perspective. Through my art, I seek to document that evolution, honouring tradition while reflecting the Canada we experience today. In reimagining national symbols through colour, form, and narrative, I hope to contribute to a larger conversation: one that sees Canadian identity not as a single image, but as a living collage of stories, emotions, and places.

See more of Brandy Saturley’s Iconography here.