Resurgence: Visualizing Tribal Sovereignty Over Ancestral Lands at the Confluence Center

The Confluence Center (Western Montana’s Home for Nonprofit Events) art program Torrents is thrilled to partner with Human Ecology and present a special First Friday event: Resurgence.

Experience the power of resilience as prominent Indigenous artists from Montana, the USA, and Canada redefine narratives, reclaim agency over their histories and futures, and strengthen advocacy for Tribal sovereignty in solidarity with the grassroots LANDBACK movement.

Through their works, witness the ongoing struggle against the dispossession of ancestral lands and the call for a return to communal land ownership and co-management of traditional and unceded Indigenous lands and territories.

Artists break free from colonial concepts by sharing the vision of Indigenous self-determination and self-governance that inherently uphold the values of protecting sacred spaces by reclaiming and defending their rights to land, language, culture, and relationships.

Inspired by the profound ethos of “Indian land in Indian hands,” each piece in this exhibition offers poignant reflections reminding us that we must recognize and honor that we are all standing on Native land.

This exhibition puts out a call to action through a diverse array of mediums including painting, sculpture, photography, prints, textiles, multimedia installations, film, and participatory art, that navigate the complexities of confronting the injustices of the past and forging a path towards liberation, rooted in justice and equity for the legacy of Native Americans and First Nations.

Featured Artists: Alishon Kelly, Aspen Decker, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Howard Terpning, John Isaiah Pepion, Judd Thompson, Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, Monica Gilles-BringsYellow, Nicholas Galanin, Shepard Fairey, Steph Littlebird, and Whess Harman.

The Mirror Shield Project, conceptualized by Cannupa Hanska Luger, will be a participatory art experience during the reception. Visitors can create their own mirror shield with the materials provided, and bring it with them to the 200 block of N. Higgins Avenue for the live Architectural Projection Mapping Show by Zootech Visuals following the reception from 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm.

Presented by: Human Ecology, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Montana

Curated by: Mia Martina Hanák

Opening exhibit event will take place during Missoula’s FirShadow “Foreshadow” Devereauxst Friday Artwalk, April 5, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Confluence Center at 119 W Main St, Missoula, and will also feature music and live performances by Benjamin Eše’henȧhkohe Headswift, Aspen Decker, and Zootech Visuals. The Exhibit will remain on display through April 26, and can be seen by appointment through the Center: 406-926-6526

For more information about the Confluence Center, please contact Ruth Crystal at ruthc@headwatersmt.org. For more information about art events at the Confluence Center, please contact Elisha Harteis at elishaharteis@gmail.com or Lillian Nelson at thedelusionalartist2@gmail.com. For more information on Human Ecology contact mia@human-ecology.org.

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