This week in Denver, seemingly disparate artists Kneecap and Kent Monkman drew large crowds downtown. On a Monday night, Irish rap trio Kneecap played a sold out show at Summit. A few blocks away, the first major United States solo exhibition of Cree artist Kent Monkman was being set up at the Denver Art Museum; the subsequent exhibition opening and sold out conversation with the artist on Saturday was the largest crowd I’ve seen at DAM. With little in common at first glance, these artists are alike in their use of humor and indigenous knowledge to establish identity and colonial histories, and are now bringing their work to a larger stage. Admittedly, I could also be found in both crowds and wanted to write about it.
When Coachella kicks off each year, fans have the rare opportunity to see their favorite artists from around the world in one place, whether that’s in Indio or from their couch. Since playing for two weekends at a festival is not necessarily profitable on its own, many acts have taken to performing in the Southwest surrounding Weekend 1 and 2 of Coachella, a phenomenon some have admiringly called “Localchella.” This year, Kneecap sandwiched their weekend Coachella performances with sold out shows in Denver, Salt Lake City, and Pomona. Kneecap is a cult favorite, but rose to prominence with the release of a self-titled film about their origin story late last year. At a small, beloved venue in Denver, Kneecap brought an energy and community that is rare to find when packed like sardines on a Monday night.² In some ways, Coachella’s annual live streams of performances have created more accessibility in music, since multiple stages are (almost) ad-free, high quality, and available on YouTube. Kneecap’s show in Denver, however, immediately followed their Weekend 1 Coachella performance, where the live stream of their performance was cut in censorship of pro-Palestinian and messaging and statements against controversial former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.¹
Kneecap at Summit, Denver, April 15, 2025. Copyright Shannon Shumaker Photography.² ³
Kneecap is groundbreaking in the use of the Irish language in rap. The trio consists of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí, and their songs became a new way to represent and invigorate a nearly lost language and discuss the effects of British rule in Ireland. The group’s first release was “C.E.A.R.T.A.” which was written in 2017 following a friend’s arrest at an Irish Language Act protest. The track’s title translates to “rights,” and is written entirely in Irish. In Kneecap’s music, language itself becomes a means of resistance and establishing identity. Their latest album, Fine Art, tackles “the troubles” in Ireland, protest art, wealth disparity, and their rise to fame. Their message is focused, unapologetic, and invigorating.
In Canada, Kent Monkman is similarly affirming identity and unwritten histories through another medium: acrylic on canvas. On April 20th, Kent Monkman: History is Painted by the Victors opened at the Denver Art Museum.⁴ Monkman’s work subverts Western art representation styles to tell the story of complex and often violent indigenous experiences in Canada and North America. His monumental works are reminiscent of the European “old masters,” with new subject matter. Monkman’s paintings appropriate techniques and representation styles of Albert Bierstadt, Jean-Léon Gérôme, Théodore Géricault, and Caravaggio, among others. Despite Monkman’s critical narratives and vast portfolio, History is Painted by the Victors is the first major solo exhibition of Monkman’s work in the United States. In conversation with curator John Lukavic at the Denver Art Museum, Monkman described himself as a “reluctant educator,” since his work addresses histories of government involvement in indigenous erasure. Monkman was raised in Winnipeg, Canada, where the government and church’s violent history of relocating children to residential schools has deeply affected the indigenous community and purposefully erased knowledge and language. In conversation at DAM, Kent Monkman was also transparent in reference to his studio team that assists with his large scale, monumental works, departing from the idea of a singular genius in art. He also addressed this in alignment with indigenous communal practices in artmaking, where works are often created in collaboration with family and community. There have been similar developments in architecture, where the identity of the “starchitect” is being reexamined and the efforts (and reality) of a larger team are acknowledged.
Kent Monkman’s work also examines gender identity and colonized sexuality. He affirms that gender-fluid and two-spirit individuals have always had a place in indigenous culture, and viewing the human body as inherently sexual is a Western construct to be questioned. As a nod to Western artists inserting themselves into their work, Monkman inserts himself as the character Miss Chief Eagle Testickle (a play on the word “egotistical”) in his work.⁵ Miss Chief is often portrayed as nude, gender-fluid, and in wonderfully high Louboutins. When asked what he wants people to take away from this exhibition, Monkman answered “take your clothes off!”
mistikôsiwak (Wooden Boat People): Resurgence of the People, 2019, Acrylic on Canvas, 132” x 264.” Copyright Kent Monkman.
Through their individual artistic expression, both Kneecap and Kent Monkman reexamine how language, histories, and representation styles are held in academia. Kneecap brings Irish language to rap, and outside of specialty language courses or legislation. Kent Monkman brings indigenous experiences to the canon of art history through representation methods. These artists affirm identity and culture, and bring histories of colonization and oppression to light. In a time of cultural and political disruption, it becomes critical to find identity in artistic expression. The work of both Kneecap and Kent Monkman democratizes history, crafting stories that are both accessible and deliberate.
mistikôsiwak (Wooden Boat People): Resurgence of the People, gallery view
Kneecap is continuing with gigs in Europe and a sold-out U.S. tour in October, but their 2024 film Kneecap is currently streaming on Netflix (with a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, for whatever that’s worth).
Kent Monkman: History is Painted by the Victors is on exhibit at the Denver Art Museum through August 17, 2025.
Aryana Leland is a designer based in Denver, Colorado. She studied Architecture + Art History at Cal Poly Pomona, and her current interests are running and science fiction.
Zemler, Emily. “Kneecap Claim Pro-Palestinian Message Was Cut from Coachella Livestream.” Rolling Stone, April 14, 2025. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kneecap-coachella-livestream-gaza-message-1235316762/
Vigil, Dom. “Kneecap and Soft Play Brought a One of a Kind Show to Denver Between Coachella Performances.” Prelude Press, April 16, 2025. https://preludepress.com/featured/2025/04/16/kneecap-soft-play-denver-review/
Shannon Shumaker Photography. https://www.shannonshumakerphoto.com/
“Kent Monkman: History Is Painted by the Victors.” Denver Art Museum. https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/exhibitions/kent-monkman
“Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, Kent Monkman’s Alter Ego.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, December 23, 2019. https://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/kent-monkman-miss-chief-eagle-testickle.