Photo by Marcieline Novatore
Dear Reader,
I am an Indigenous contemporary artist, and for the past six years, I have been actively investigating what this means by participating in various Indigenous group shows, connecting with other Indigenous artists, and attending panels, lectures, and artist talks. Still, there is something about me that never quite fits in. My mom is from the Pit River Tribe in Northern California, and my dad emigrated from El Salvador to the United States in the 1980s, meaning some of my ancestors have been here for all of time, and some arrived here much more recently. This discrepancy has always been a source of discomfort for me, and my work reflects this feeling. I belong here, elsewhere, and nowhere, all at the same time. These conflicting identities have emerged as a central theme in my artistic practice. Rather than rejecting them, however, I seek to use my work to integrate them, making room for their multiplicity.
My recent work has been focused on what I call “now-isms”: scenes or events from a specific time frame in my lived experience that I document as they unfold. This concept takes inspiration from visual sovereignty and Gestalt psychology; it positions the act of creating as a way to intervene in the status quo and current artistic conventions, especially in regard to the intersection of my different identities.
I document the present because the present is confrontational and unavoidable: it is a “NOW” that speaks in all caps. I’m not interested in reenactment, and I admit that this NOW is too focused on the present to consider the future. I think of my artworks as songs that score the moment, soundtracks with contrapuntal melodies and aleatoric rhythms. Ultimately, I’m not trying to think anything up; I’m trying to put something down.
My work straddles collage and assemblage. It has a sense of controlled chaos, a frenetic energy that leads the eye. The settings are intentionally indistinct. The scale varies, but I prefer to work at a human scale: 6 by 6 feet, or larger. I work primarily on unstretched fabric substrates that I sew together, using materials such as acrylic paint, soft pastel, fabric, and thread. The techniques I use include painting, industrial sewing, experimental machine-sewing, hand embroidery, photo transfers, screenprinting, and dye processes (natural and synthetic). Recently, I have been experimenting with beadwork and stained glass. The processes I use are shaped by both my fine art education and my experiences in the workforce, including my time as a fabricator at Air Rescue Systems—where I made search and rescue gear and body bags—and as a props artisan at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. When I approach my work, I opt for whichever technique best achieves the line and image I see in my mind.
For the first half of 2025, I’ll be deep in work on a large-scale piece for the Mt. Scott Community Center in Portland, OR. I’m also developing a series of online workshops to help emerging artists refine their arts admin skills—portfolio, CV, and statement writing—set to launch in summer 2025. Otherwise, I’ll be making art for myself and preparing for grad school this fall. I don’t update my website very often, so if you want to keep up with my work more regularly, consider following me on Instagram (@indigorituals) and subscribing to my newsletter below. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.
With Gratitude,
Isabella Saavedra