Maybe We Will Never Know
2010
Interrogating notions of ethnic cleansing, these photographs revolve around incidents that occurred on Indian reservations during the 1970s. Known as "the rez murders", the ambiguity of these accounts leaves me with the question: What is true about history? Similar to depictions of crime scenes, there is an urgency to confront cultural issues of the past. Ironically, these matters continue today though disguised as if society as moved on from such confrontations. Confinement and near-genocide are not limited to Indigenous Tribes of North America, but exist universally. It is a natural tendency to seek answers to the unknown, which in turn can speak to the boundaries of human experiences. The process of constructing peculiar aftermaths lends me the ability to metaphysically communicate with vital histories, though I realize that I can never fully understand the hardships endured. In a way the scenes become ethereal through use of lighting, yet there is a stark reality that seeks to find a balance for sustainability.
All images are 31x40", archival pigment prints, edition of ten each
Night on the Jumping Bull Compound
Living Room of Memories
Village Gone
The Site of Anna Mae Aquash
Neither Dusk nor Dawn