Reciprocal Relations speaks of the power our relationships hold and the value and respect we have for our past, present, and future ancestors, whether they be plant, two-legged or four-legged relatives, and for the land itself.

Jaida Grey Eagle and Mikayla Patton create art that exemplifies such reciprocal relations and survivance. As contemporary representations of the Women from the Oceti Shakowin Oyate (People of the Seven Council Fires, colonially known as the Sioux Nation), their work is rooted with a sense of resistance and survival, sharing histories that counter the many inauthentic narratives that abound. Every piece, a modern interpretation of Indigenous culture shares a story told by a powerful voice that instructs us to listen and to learn.

Upholding sustainability, each artist embraces materials revered by past generations, such as elk teeth, porcupine quills, dentalium shells, leather, plants, sinew, and glass beads. While the means for acquiring these materials has changed over time, Grey Eagle and Patton remain intentional in their practices, recognizing what it means to use each item and honoring their history.

Mikayla Patton’s work speaks to the complexities of generational trauma and healing. For her, the paper making process is the creation of a new membrane, a clean surface that offers a sense of peace, and a place to hide when needed. Each sculptural container Patton creates from this paper is reminiscent of traditional rawhide parfleche boxes. While the latter carried belongings during hunts or travel, these contemporary interpretations carry with them lifetimes’ worth of history and of journeys made, both deliberate and forced. Included within the details are geometric Lakota designs, a star map symbolizing the earth and stars, but here, they are adorned with sharp porcupine quills, visually revealing trauma while simultaneously offering needed protection for the ongoing healing process. Symbolic imagery in Patton’s sculptural work is carried through to her prints examining cultural connections and the navigation of relationships.  

Our connections of relationships and community are also integral to the photographs by Jaida Grey Eagle. And just as essential is the need to correct the misrepresentations of Indigenous Winyan (women) as presented in modern media. Grey Eagle’s imagery conveys an essential reclamation of contemporary identity. With each photo shoot, her subjects are elevated to collaborators, sharing their individual stories, and thoughtfully considering what garments and materials are to be represented. They are writing their own narratives and giving context to their histories. The resilience of these Winyan, who have done everything to endure through their own dystopia and attempted genocide to pass on ancestral knowledge, is carried through to her cyanotype portraits. Garments and materials are given added dimension, calling out their significance. In one piece, Isabella LaBlanc is seen wearing a fancy shawl. Such garments are extravagant items often used as regalia, and together with a newer form of dance, symbolizes a butterfly. Grey Eagle has highlighted this shawl through the addition of a beaded fringe that falls from the print.

Artists such as Grey Eagle and Patton are actively redefining North American Indigenous Art and how it is viewed, while simultaneously confirming their place in the contemporary art world. Their bold declarations of personal and familial histories offer insight into modern Lakota culture. At a time where identity misrepresentations abound, each woman has already established a complex repertoire of work signifying the importance of representation and providing space for every voice to be heard.