Nehirowisidigital
Bio
Meky Ottawa is an Atikamekw from Manawan. As a multidisciplinary artist based in Tio'tia:ke Montréal, she works with video, illustration and installation. She is self-taught, and likes to sing karaoke in her spare time. She has worked as an illustrator for Meshmag, Spirale, and for many issues of WIOT magazine (Working It Out Together). She has also contributed to productions by Rezolution Pictures, namely the film Rumble the Indians Who Rocked the World (2017). Her work has been shown in Mashteuiatsh, Nantes, and in Montréal, including the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts as part of the group exhibition Elles Autochtones (2017). Her animated films have been presented in Canada (in Toronto, in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and most recently as part of a screening event devoted to the work of Indigenous women artists, curated by Catherine Boivin at Centre CLARK) and internationally (in New York; Santiago, Chile; Paris; Sao Paulo; Marseille; and Guadalajara, Mexico).
Artist Statement
My work reveals a glimpse of my imagination, which could obviously never be entirely reproduced. I use this very personal source of inspiration, as well as my Atikamekw background, my feminist perspective and my urban daily life to create works that are often committed and sometimes political. Through still or moving images, I use line, colour and also symbols to communicate what I find beautiful, funny or sensitive. Other times, I like to create more spontaneously without thinking too much about the subject, favouring a more formal approach. It’s important to me to remain flexible in my exploration of different stylistic approaches and to experiment with a range of mediums. I get easily bored if I stay in one place for too long, and so renewal is essential. It’s also what motivates me to collaborate with other artists. These collaborations push the limits of my practice and take me out of my comfort zone.
The creative process allows me to discover myself, to know myself better, but also to make part of my cultural heritage known to others. I believe that creation is a reflection of the self and our influence; in my case, being an Indigenous artist means being an activist. With my work, I want to contribute to the creation and promotion of a multiplicity of Indigenous identities. Art allows me to evolve, to grow, to share and to know myself a little more each time.