Indigenous narratives recentered through material and metaphor in IAIA MoCNA’s 'Paper Trails'
Original framing: “IN REVIEW: To be felt, not read — ‘Paper Trails: Unfolding Indigenous Narratives’ at IAIA MoCNA” — bing news
The original framing omits the historical context of Indigenous erasure in museum curation, the role of intergenerational knowledge transmission in the artworks, and the structural inequities in funding and representation that continue to marginalize Native artists.
Critical structural omission detected in mainstream coverage.
The narrative is produced by the IAIA MoCNA, an institution founded by and for Native artists, for a broader public that often consumes Indigenous art through a colonial lens. The framing serves to disrupt dominant narratives by asserting Indigenous sovereignty over cultural representation. It obscures the broader structural barriers Indigenous artists face in mainstream art institutions.
The exhibition draws on Indigenous knowledge systems by using paper as a metaphor for the fragility and resilience of Indigenous narratives. The triangles symbolize interconnectedness and the layered nature of oral histories. This aligns with Indigenous epistemologies that prioritize relationality and lived experience.
The 'Paper Trails' exhibition at IAIA MoCNA is not merely an art show but a systemic intervention in the decolonization of museum spaces.