CAF 8 - Nicholas Galanin

Nicholas Galanin

Nicholas Galanin is a native Alaskan artist of Tlingit and Unangax̂ ancestry. He addresses the misappropriation of Indigenous visual culture and the impacts of colonialism, reclaiming narrative and creative agency through his work. Galanin’s art, which includes sculpture, installation, photography, video, performance, and textile-based pieces, speaks through various visual, sonic, and tactile languages. His work has been exhibited widely, including at the Native American Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, the 2020 Australian Biennale, the 2019 Whitney Biennial, and the National Museum of the American Indian. His pieces are in private collections and the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Canada, Portland Art Museum, and Denver Art Museum.

MEMORY WELL

This work is a living monument rooted in sound, memory, and land. A deep-earth well emits the recorded heartbeat of an Indigenous child in the womb—referencing a pulse-like hand drum rising from the land and water, connecting life across generations. The sound transforms the space into a site of remembrance, defying silence and erasure. Audio from Charrúa activist Mónica Michelena Díaz plays throughout the loop, speaking on Charrúa history, survival and envisioned futures. Native wildflowers planted within and around the well honor Floriana Aires, a Charrúa girl who survived the Salsipuedes (get out if you can) 1832 massacre who was found in a field of flowers. Their blooms stand as enduring symbols of resilience—grounded, unyielding, and rooted in survival and renewal.