To Honour The Fire Keepers
2020
Black wool stroud, electronics, various materials
43 x 61 inches


I created this piece to show my deepest respect for all of those who have honored Land and its teachings, and those who pass on that Knowledge today. Those who strive for responsible environmental stewardship and management. Those who strive for equality and understanding.

I hand painted my Mum ice fishing, showing a successful day's trout catch. Each belly cut to bait the hook for the next trout. That night we feasted on fresh fried trout. It is a skewed Polaroid snapshot, a wistful memory of my Mother, our wonderful catch of clean fish, our clean river.

Our hydrological system and environment began to radically change with the continuous development of hydroelectric dams. A byproduct of these dams is methylmercury, an extremely toxic organic form of mercury that can now be found in soil, water, and fish. It can cause serious health problems, including brain damage, impaired mental functioning, and developmental issues.

Today, our food sources, fish and mammal, are tested for this toxic chemical, and the data collected and analyzed. I dismantled and reused a computer keypad to signify that our fish and ourselves are now being actively monitored for this toxin. There are now areas where we cannot or should not eat the fish.

Today's reality has changed much since my fond memories of family ice fishing trips, as we witness the continued degradation and decline of our natural environment.

The fish are still here, they are still swimming but they are shadow fish memories.

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