You can’t Drink Oil
This piece discusses the harmful effects of oil pipelines on Native lands. I utilized imagery of black snakes acting almost as handcuffs both to show a visual representation of the oil pipelines and how protesters against these pipelines are often unjustly arrested, and also to call upon a prophecy in Lakota culture stating that “A black snake that would slither across the land, desecrating sacred sites and poisoning the water before destroying the Earth.”
Many Native communities don’t have access to clean water and these oil pipelines not only desecrate sacred land but also run the risk of poisoning water sources if they leak.
This is not an official collaboration with The National Congress of American Indians.
The two different versions; chaotic and scaled back, are to explore different stylistic choices.
A 24inX36in canvas was then scanned to add 2in for text, made with acrylic paint, a gold leaf paint pen, and 11/0 seed beads to make the beaded appliques. I then sewed onto the canvas.
2024
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