I Almost Made a Treaty Film (2023)

Overview

Natalie Ball investigates histories of Native American symbolism in dialogue with contemporary Indigenous iconography to propose alternative definitions of Native life. Drawing from her Black and Modoc/Klamath Tribe heritage, her practice involves collapsing found objects with painting, Indigenous beadwork, animal skins and quilting with contemporary items such as sneakers and varsity jackets. As such, she challenges colonial narratives that either normalise, or even celebrate, the violent experiences of Indigenous people. Her works consider the contested projects of land stewardship along with the complicity of American educational institutions that continue to profit from Native imagery while failing to adequately address the nation’s history of white supremacy.