A story rediscovered: tracing the origins of Indigenous artwork at Eastern Memorial Hospital

For nearly 50 years, a vibrant painting has been hanging at Eastern Memorial Hospital in Canso. But little was known about its origin until a few years ago after staff pieced together the story of how the artwork from renowned Ojibwe artist Ahmoo Angeconeb found a home at the hospital. 

“From its size, I knew the painting was significant and felt it was important to understand its history,” said Melanie Newell, site lead and health services manager at Eastern Memorial Hospital.  

Bit by bit, she began gathering information about the painting’s history as stories and memories were shared by staff members. Bonnie Richard, a longtime registered nurse at Eastern Memorial Hospital, recalled the painting was gifted to the hospital by Angeconeb. 

“When I started asking questions, staff shared what they knew about the painting and about the artist; it spurred me to understand more about the artist and his connection to the community,” Newell explained.  

Angeconeb, whose signature appears on the piece, was a residential school survivor who became a renowned Canadian Ojibwe artist. He was raised in Whitefish Bay, part of the Lac Seul First Nation in northwestern Ontario.  

He spent time in Canso during the '70s and '80s, working for Parks Canada as part of a team that carried out the excavation of Grassy Island and uncovered the history of the fort that once stood there. 

A plaque mounted beside the painting explains that a young Angeconeb, while growing up in a cabin on the south shore of Whitefish Bay, would use a .22-calibre lead bullet to create designs on the walls. He sold his first painting when he was 13. He went on to complete formal training at York University and Lakehead University in Ontario and eventually came to Nova Scotia where he studied and taught at Dalhousie University in Halifax. 

Newell also discovered that during Angeconeb’s time in the community he often gifted his art. “I learned that he painted smaller pieces and gave them to friends,” she said.  

And apparently, during a visit to the community years after he lived in Canso, he also visited the hospital to see if his artwork was still there.   

Angeconeb, who passed away in 2017 at 62, achieved artistic success across Canada and Europe, with countless galleries displaying his work. 

Newell and her colleagues, once discovering its full history, had the painting professionally refurbished, ensuring it will remain a focal point at the hospital for many years to come. 

 Today, it hangs in its original place as a reminder of Angeconeb’s generosity, legacy and connection to the community of Canso. 

Photo of artwork by Ahmoo Angeconeb hanging in the main entrance of Eastern Memorial Hospital in Canso.