(Shayla in RED — Shayla is from Little Black Bear First Nation within Treaty 4 Territory in Saskatchewan, Canada. This photograph was a collaboration between photographer Wayne Slinn and Indigenous makeup artist JJ Vester Penny to help bring awareness to MMIGW2s. 30” x 40.” Acrylic on canvas | Photo by Nayana LaFond)
The exhibition features 40 paintings by Nayana LaFond (Anishinaabe, Abenaki, Mi’kmaq, French and German descent) focusing on missing and murdered Indigenous relatives.
Portraits in Red: Missing & Murdered Indigenous People Painting Project — a national traveling exhibition — will be on view at The Museum at Warm Springs from Wednesday, June 5 through Saturday, September 7, 2024. The exhibition features 40 paintings by Nayana LaFond (Anishinaabe, Abenaki, Mi’kmaq, French and German descent) focusing on missing and murdered Indigenous relatives.
The public is invited to the opening reception on Wednesday, June 5, from 5:30-7:30pm. Light refreshments will be served.
Behind each of the paintings is the voice of an Indigenous person who has suffered the impact of violence. Ninety-eight percent of Native people experience violence during their lifetime. Native women face murder rates 11 times the national average. These crimes are under-reported by the media and under-prosecuted by law enforcement. LaFond’s project brings visibility to this ongoing crisis.
LaFond’s painting project began in 2020 with one painting, Lauraina in RED, created for the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls, which is observed on May 5 and now known as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day. Since 2020 she’s painted more than 50 commissioned portraits. As of February 2024, there were 110 completed paintings. Every portrait is of someone who is missing, was murdered, survived, a family member or friend, or an activist/hero fighting for the cause. LaFond hopes to make sure the missing and dead are never forgotten, to raise awareness about this serious issue, and to provide help with healing to the families.
LaFond is a full-time multidisciplinary artist and activist who resides with her child in Western Massachusetts. She attended Greenfield Community College for Fine Art and Massachusetts College of Art for Photography and then dropped out to become a full-time painter. Her paintings and sculptures can be seen in galleries and museums around the world. Her project, Missing & Murdered Indigenous People Painting Project, has gained her international acclaim and is currently on display in museums around North America, including a Pacific Northwest Coast tour, a tour through the Institute of American Indian Studies Museum and more. LaFond has also been a curator and community arts organizer for more than 20 years, including serving as the former founding chief curator for The Whitney Center for the Arts (Pittsfield, Mass.). She also sits on the boards of several arts organizations, including as executive board member of Artist Organized Art in New York City. Nayana is a citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario, Canada.
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About The Museum at Warm Springs:
The Museum at Warm Springs opened its doors to the public on March 14, 1993. Built to Smithsonian Institution professional standards, The Museum’s mission is to preserve, advance and share the traditions, cultural and artistic heritage of The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon. Regular Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. The Museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission: Museum Members (free), Adults ($7), Senior Citizens over 60 ($6), Students 13-18 with student body card ($4.50), Children 5-12 ($3.50) and Children 4 and younger (free). The Museum welcomes donations any time of the year. Please consider a matching gift to the Oregon Cultural Trust. Your gift to the Trust (up to $500 for individuals, $1,000 for couples filing jointly, and $2,500 for class-C corporations) is a tax credit, a dollar-for-dollar reduction for any Oregon taxes you owe. The Oregon Cultural Trust is a generous supporter of our Museum. The Museum at Warm Springs is located at 2189 Highway 26 in Warm Springs.
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