Consultation #2 is a strong example of Alex Janvier’s later abstract practice, marked by the increased fluidity of his traditional, iconic, calligraphic line style, combined with layered chromatic movement and a clear sense of continuity. Executed in acrylic on canvas, the composition unfolds through sweeping arcs of colour, forming a dynamic field that is both expansive and contained. The present owner selected Consultation #2 from a related group of works, recognizing a level of colour integration and compositional flow that distinguished it within the series. The work presents subtle shifts in character under varying lighting conditions, reflecting Janvier’s considered use of lighter and darker tonal values across the composition.

As curator Greg Hill has observed, Janvier’s works may explore “medium, subject, light, emotion, recollection or history,” shifting fluidly between microcosmic and cosmic perspectives. In Consultation #2, this shifting sense of scale is particularly evident. The painting’s interlacing lines suggest currents of energy—at once cellular, atmospheric, and cosmological—drawing the viewer through the composition without privileging a single point of entry.

Janvier’s distinctive line work functions not merely as formal gesture, but as a structural and conceptual device. Here, lines converge and diverge in a measured exchange, evoking communication, negotiation, and balance - an appropriate resonance with the work’s title. The composition reads as an integrated system, in which forms respond to one another through ongoing visual exchange.

While Janvier is widely recognized for his circular compositions as metaphors for land and cyclical natural processes, Consultation #2 demonstrates how those same concerns persist within a rectangular format. The sense of continuity remains intact, suggesting extension beyond the canvas edges and reinforcing Janvier’s sustained engagement with interconnectedness, movement, and the land.

Through its layered gestures and controlled chromatic relationships, Consultation #2 exemplifies Janvier’s ability to integrate abstraction with experiential depth. The painting stands as a confident articulation of his mature visual language and affirms his position as a foundational figure in contemporary Indigenous abstraction.



Please note: this work is unframed.