Two weeks on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation changed something in me that I’m still trying to name.
I came for a fellowship at
@mashousestudio and left with something I didn’t expect a shift in how I understand what art is even for. Spending time on this land, learning about Indigenous stewardship, sitting with fellow artists who weren’t afraid to go deep, it cracked me open in the best way.
@briannalhb “reclaiming Death, Art/ Ritual/ Adcocacy” curated a show that gave me real permission to talk about death, grief, and art without feeling guilty. There was this strange relief in the room. Like something heavy had been acknowledged out loud, finally. And watching
@jeremynative carry the memories of his grandmother and the land across generations — honoring her life story through the servicing the community, I kept thinking about what it means to remember with my own family histories.
I made these small soft sculptures while I was at Mas house. I hand stitched together hands, eyes, fruit, birds, leaves, portraits, they’re symbols of history and transformation, of things that persist. I hung them from branches and weathered wood almost instinctively. They felt like offerings. Quiet prayers of gratitude to the land and to the people who have never stopped protecting it.
Thank you to Ma’s House, and to the Shinnecock community, I learned more than I expected. I’m still learning.
📷
@bonnymelendez_ thank you 🙏🏻 But my love you 💖🫶🏻
