Łichíí (Red) Series is dedicated to Missing and Murdered Indigenous women. Their stories continue to exist within the landscape and impact our relationship with these sacred places. Through their memories, may we never forget who they were: mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, nieces, and daughters.
Creating this work started with listening to the stories of those whose families had gone missing or were murdered. With each story, the importance was placed on the memories of those individuals and places that held significance for them. As a result, a more profound appreciation of these individual's strengths inspired me to reflect on what it means to be connected to the land.
Each piece was dedicated to these stories, places that hold memories or are abstractions of their home. The work was also created to be eventually placed back into the earth. The original works have slowly deteriorated over time, with the emulsion slowly peeling and separating while the dye takes over the entire image. I intended to see this work as an extension of those who were no longer with us, a chance to live through the work and slowly go home, becoming one with the landscape. As an artist and someone who works in the museum field, this went against everything I learned in terms of preservation, but it also was a starting point for me to see my work past its material presence.
Through the stories of MMIW and looking at our shared histories, I realized the significance of creating work that has a timeline. Like my ancestors, our stories eventually go back into the land to be shared and honored. This work was what inspired my later series, titled Sacred Places, and looked at the significance of oral narratives and photography.
