Native Girlhood: Artist Evelyn Mikayla Martin launches NDN Girlhood, a free public exhibition at the Ledge Gallery of Arts Commons.
Whenever freelance artist Evelyn Mikayla Martin wields a paintbrush, she not only creates art but also raises a fist in solidarity with her fellow Indigenous people.
Martin’s art is a testament to her resilience and strength as she navigates mental health, cultural identity and community representation as a Blackfeet woman.
“I think one of the bravest things you can do is take pain and create something beautiful,” Martin said.
NDN Girlhood, a free public exhibition portraying native girlhood, officially opened at the Ledge Gallery of Arts Commons on Friday, March 8. The exhibit showcases Martin’s acrylic painting and installation pieces.
It’s the first time Martin created an installation piece with found objects. Martin drew inspiration from English artist Tracey Emin’s piece, My Bed, which she personalized with her ventures growing up as an Indigenous woman. Martin comes from the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana.
My Bed portrays the dishevelled state of Emin’s bedroom. The tousled sheets, dispelled cigarette packets and alcohol bottles represent a depressive episode that the artist endured, which resonated with Martin.
“When we’re all going through challenging things, we retreat to our bedroom and private spaces,” Martin said. “I wanted to do a native girlhood take on what it’s like to battle mental health issues by utilizing visual arts.”
Martin’s personal belongings—baby pictures and sketches- adorn the walls of the Ledge Gallery. A pack of cigarettes, a pair of boots, and a vinyl record copy of The Top by The Cure are carefully placed on the bed. This installation is a visual feast and a poignant reflection of Martin’s journey and the emotions it evokes in her media.
It was also an opportunity for Martin to reflect on the intergenerational trauma faced by her community. Her friends and family filled the space, bearing gifts and flowers to honour her work.
“Two of my grandmothers that I grew up with were cultural mentors to me and taught me what it means to be Blackfeet woman,” Martin said. “I always put in a lot of effort to reclaim representation over the way Blackfeet women and girls exist in our narrative. I make sure we have control over that in a positive way.”
As a kid, Martin often encountered “harmful stereotypes” of Indigenous people in the media, such as Tiger Lily from Disney’s 1953 film Peter Pan. This sparked her passion to reclaim autonomy over representing herself and her community instead of dealing with the constant injudicious portrayal.
“Painting myself also helped me heal my personal traumas and build a more positive connection with my body,” Martin said. “It really made me continue to be intentional in the work that I’m producing, knowing that it’s affecting those around me and our communities.”
Sanja Lukač cited the influence of art in recognizing Indigenous history.
“Art has always been a powerful tool for audiences to engage with and learn about an artist’s background as it makes them more immersed in their experience,” said Lukač, senior visual and media arts curator at Arts Commons. “I think it’s important that there are dedicated spaces for Indigenous artists to share their work, processes, thoughts, and storytelling.”
Martin hopes to spark conversations through her art and create platforms for other emerging artists to have their talents seen and make their voices heard.
“I’m just so honoured and glad to see other Blackfoot people making a name for themselves,” said attendee Bryce Manyfingers. “Especially on their own territory.”
Manyfingers is also an artist and singer from the Blackfoot Confederacy.
“You just have to be here to see all the details. It’s just very intimate,” he said. “I didn’t have role models or places like these to go to, so seeing Evelyn doing this makes you feel like you can do them too. It’s just important moving forward.”
To Martin, navigating the experience of being an Indigenous woman is a journey of a lifetime.
As the battle for the reclamation of space and representation for Indigenous people persists, Martin continues to wear her warpaint.
“A big part of my purpose with this installation and this exhibition is to show that we’re allowed to take total control over showing the world that this is who I am,” Martin said.
“This is where I come from. These are my beliefs. This is how I choose to represent myself.”
