Heart Portraits

A portrait series I started in 2015 began with old photos from a page on Facebook called “Native North American Indian - Old Photos.” I was often frustrated when looking through these photos - they’re photos of people’s relatives, family and kin - often without names. It hurt my heart to see this and to know that some of my ancestors may have been posed and documented in ways that the white photographer wanted, which is not a collaboration, it’s non-consensual. I am also grateful to see photos of ancestors - because these photos can be reconnected with their families today. The page’s albums are sorted by Nation so I went to the Haudenosaunee album and wondered, are any of my Oneida family here?

I photo transferred some of the images and with this process, there are always missing pieces of the image - it’s never a perfect, smooth transfer. I really love the symbolism here but at first, I was frustrated. It reminds me that there are many parts of our beings that we may not know fully due to colonialism. This connected to my family’s lived experiences with the 60’s Scoop and genocide camps (formerly known as residential schools) with the rippling intergenerational impacts.

I painted the backgrounds with bright colours and soft blends. I hoped to bring their already existing vibrancy out by adding colour on and around the black and white photos. I painted florals surrounding folks. In the portraits, the florals extend from different areas of the body meaning different things to me depending on where they are flowing from:

- shoulders, back, mouth, heart, feet and head.

- roles and responsibilities, ancestors, voice and truth, love and reciprocity, rootedness and uplifted minds.

I noticed a disconnect when I was creating this part of the series, as I didn’t know some of the folks’ names or Nations. I also learned some people’s information was written down incorrectly. A reminder that the folks in these images are people’s parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. They have names and Nations and voices. I was creating portraits of folks’ relatives without consent, conversation, or collaboration. So I shifted from this part of the series to the next part as my heart knew that there was a different way to create, uplift and support.

I started to collaborate with many Nations across Turtle Island. Folks would send me a photo with families, celebratory moments, ancestors, partners and loved ones who I were no longer with them in the physical. They would include quotes, poems, stories, colours and designs and put trust in the creative process. I could see the image in my heart when they would describe to me what their creative vision was.

I called this series Akwelyá•ne | Kayá•tale’ / My Heart | Portraits because the images come directly from the hearts of many different Nations. One of the most important things to my heart is to support and uplift the minds and hearts of my communities, kin and relations. And this is what I hoped to do through this series and beyond.

Each person has consented to be included in this part of the portrait series, some of them are commissions and some are gifts. If you or your loved ones no longer wish to have your portrait included here or would like any information changed at any time, please let me know and I will honour your request. Consent and choice are at the forefront of this process as consent is ongoing, retractable, mutual and active.

I hope to revisit this series and if you’re interested in collaborating on a portrait together, please connect with me.

I am forever grateful for this heart-filled series and all of the people that made it possible.

-Mo