Kiohehkwen/They Give Us Life

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Artist: Brittany Kiertzner

Title: Kiohehkwen/They Give Us Life

Attribution: Kiohehkwen/They Give Us Life, 2024, Brittany Kiertzner

Year: 2024

Materials: Steel wire frame, Plaster, Cotton and silk embroidery fiber, waxed cord on repurposed textiles.

Dimensions: 70X46X3 inches

Image Statement: Kiertzner's work makes connections within loss and insecurity. It unravels the intrinsic vulnerability encapsulated within the dichotomy of life and death, particularly focusing on the subsequent generations of Indigenous women. The narrative navigates through the artist's endeavor to embody the inevitable social pressures that catalyze disintegration and impermanence. In her body of work, the color red emerges as a potent symbol, signifying the prevailing silence and indifference that shrouds Indigenous women. A significant number of these women find themselves either missing or succumbing to violence. Kiertzner manifests abstract figurative depictions within her sculptural works. These bodies serve as both a commemoration of those who have been lost, capturing the essence of their absence, while also portraying the resilience of those who persist, navigating dysphoric conditions.