Masked Heroes: Two-Leggeds

The virtual exhibition, Masked Heroes: Facial Coverings by Native Artists, is organized into themes based on subject matter. This category focuses on humanity. The overwhelming concern in this classification is for honoring and fighting for justice on behalf of the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW), an ongoing crisis that includes the systematic targeting and trafficking of Native women and girls. For more information, please visit the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women’s website.

Linda Lou Metoxen (Navajo), "Still Remembering Our Sisters," Fabric, elastic, and metal wire. Sewn together on a sewing machine. I made my own pattern. I want to bring awareness to the issue of MMIW (missing and murdered Indigenous Women) that receives little mainstream media coverage.
Linda Lou Metoxen (Navajo), "Saving Lives While Saving the Planet," recycled plastic containers and components, fabric, and sewing notions. All of the things I used were already in the house; I just had to look for anything I could use. I wanted to focus on recycling, reuse, and repurposing. Judge’s Choice: Emily Haozous.
Madeline Jenkins [Muscogee (Creek) Nation], "Cenke Okkosvs (Wash Your Hands)," hand-drafted and embroidered on cotton mask with interfacing using 3- and 6-count embroidery floss.
Tlehpik Hjalmer Wenstob (Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations), "The Survivor (Gas 'Mask')," red cedar, acrylic paint; hand-carved red cedar mask from a single block of wood with acrylic formline design.
Katrina Mitten (Miami Tribe of Oklahoma), "MMIW," cotton fabric duckbill-style mask with ribbon, handprint beadwork embroidery with Czech seed beads. Fringe made with bone hair pipe and teardrop beads.
Dana Tiger (Muscogee) and Rhina Bell (Seminole), "Little Tradition Keepers," cotton material sewn in a Seminole patchwork design with a Dana Tiger painting printed on fabric.
Jeanne Banning (Fort William First Nation, Ojibway), "MMIW Honor Face Mask: Fontaine," Red cotton symbolized the red dress, and the handprint is black flannel. These masks are not meant to be stored away, they are meant to be worn—shouting loud who to honor. When my sister-in-law and I discussed face masks, the MMIW topic came up. The first mask I made, that I wear is for Tina Fontaine. She was murdered in 2014 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Jeanne Banning (Fort William First Nation, Ojibway), "MMIW Honor Face Mask: Sainnawap," cotton, flannel. My friend Alana Morrison wears the mask to honor Amelia Sainnawap, who was murdered in 2018 in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Jeanne Banning (Fort William First Nation, Ojibway), "MMIW Honor Face Mask: Keeash." My daughter Atlantes honors Tammy Keeash, who was found in the river in Thunder Bay, Ontario, in 2017. They said it was an accidental drowning but there is something that is not being looked at.
Michelle Reed (Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe), "Comfort Our Children," cotton masks for Indigenous girl dolls.