Current Exhibit
Matika Wilbur
Project 526: Changing the Way We See Native America
August 25, 2022 - May 24, 2023
Matika Wilbur, from the Swinomish and Tulalip people says, "there is a collective fire burning inside of the hearts of Indigenous people, and that fire wants the truth." Truth seeking is what fueled Matika to sell everything, and move into her RV, “The Big Girl”. She would then spend ten years traversing the depths of Turtle Island, with the goal to visit 562 federally recognized Tribes in what is now known as The United States (there are currently 574, but as Matika would realize, 562 was merely a number. She would also go on to visit with state recognized Tribes, urban Natives, and Native folks in Canada, Mexico, and Aotearoa.) During her sojourn she talked story and made kin with hundreds of Tribal Nations, from the Mi'kmaq in Maine, to Yup’ik peoples in the arctic rim, and across the pacific to visit with Kānaka Maoli, in the illegally occupied kingdom of Hawai’i. She has currently visited over 750 Tribal communities, and what you see here is a special selection from that body of work.
To see more about the works in the show please see links below. The 562 Heard wall in the exhibition is under ‘small works.’
This exhibit exists to shift the collective consciousness and to encourage the viewer to deeply question the false narratives, stereotypes and typical tropes that define their understanding of Indigenaety. Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America, does just that.
Matika Wilbur, from the Swinomish and Tulalip people says, "there is a collective fire burning inside of the hearts of Indigenous people, and that fire wants the truth." Truth seeking is what fueled Matika to sell everything, and move into her RV, “The Big Girl”. She would then spend ten years traversing the depths of Turtle Island, with the goal to visit 562 federally recognized Tribes in what is now known as The United States (there are currently 574, but as Matika would realize, 562 was merely a number. She would also go on to visit with state recognized Tribes, urban Natives, and Native folks in Canada, Mexico, and Aotearoa.) During her sojourn she talked story and made kin with hundreds of Tribal Nations, from the Mi'kmaq in Maine, to Yup’ik peoples in the arctic rim, and across the pacific to visit with Kānaka Maoli, in the illegally occupied kingdom of Hawai’i. She has currently visited over 750 Tribal communities, and what you see here is a special selection from that body of work.
Matika’s unique way of being an artist in the contemporary world is presented in Project 562, which was mostly a grassroots effort, funded by two kickstarters and a large community of online supporters.
These portraits reflect Matika’s consummate craftsmanship and her commitment to decolonizing fine art. Photo participants choose what to wear, what questions to answer and where to be photographed.This portraiture conveys a true sense of partnership between artist and sitter.
Students from Santa Monica College worked closely with Matika in crafting this exhibit; challenging the traditional gallery/museum space to be a provocative contemporary learning environment. This space has become a hub and lab for students to question systemic fictions and discover ways to build community and connection through artwork and oral histories. This has created a larger discourse and dialogue that extends well beyond the edges of the art world; pleading with academia to be a part of an equitable shift in the way we all relate to one another. We are reminded through Matika’s lens, that we are all in relation, and the time is now.
Matika says, “Turtle Island and her original inhabitants are worth knowing. Get to know us as we know ourselves. Learn to call us by our names. Say it in our language. May you be so blessed to know these places and people as I have. May you love our people as I do."
This exhibition is made possible by: Mark & Freya Ivener, SMC Art + Photography Departments, SMC Associated Students, SMC’s Division of Equity, Pathways and Inclusion, SMC Associates, SMC Global Council, SMC Public Policy Institute, & SMC Foundation.
Learning Guide
Download the full Learning Guilde
Areas of Interest
- Arts, Media, and Entertainment
- Business
- Culture, History, and Languages
- Education
- Health and Wellness
- People and Society
All My Relations Podcast
Matika Wilbur (Swinomish & Tulalip) and Adrienne Keene (Cherokee Nation), creators and hosts of one of America’s most popular, praised, and progressive society and culture podcasts. Our episodes innovate across categories: Indigenous identity and feminism, race & social justice and whole family wellness, with a passionate, massive audience and exuberant sponsor appeal.
We keep it real, laugh a lot, and even cry sometimes.
Orlando Begay
Orlando Begay, or OB, is an inspired Diné graphic designer and acclaimed Grass and Chicken Powwow Dancer. He speaks frankly about manhood and his coming of age.
“I grew up without a father figure, so when I got to the point where I transitioned from being a boy into manhood, I had to learn what masculinity was on my own. It’s hard these days—we don’t have the male role models we once did. A lot of us have lost our masculine energy through colonialism, brainwashing, even the food we eat affecting our bodies, so in a way I feel like masculinity is a lost art form.
Modern-day consumerism feeds off our insecurities and people become victims to that and to the superficial. When we mature as men, there are things that happen to our energy, our spirit changes. So I’d say to the youth, ‘Don’t be afraid of growth and aging. Embrace maturity like we used to. Age gracefully like we used to.’ I know I’ve finally gotten to a point in my life where I feel at peace. It’s a gift of growing into maturity, I’ve found happiness from within rather than outside myself.”