Last year, we were approached by the @nga to develop a new series that would connect communities and people across the nation through art and the questions it raises. Our answer was “From West to East,” a new docu-series presented as a cross-country journey, weaving together portraits of contemporary artists with unique, often unheard or little known stories about the places where they live and work. Today, we’re thrilled to present the first stop along this journey with a pilot episode entitled Turtle Island, where we learn about the inspiring practice of Marie Watt (Seneca Nation of Indians/European descent, @marie_watt_studio) which draws from Native histories, knowledge, biography, and belief systems.
Interwoven with Watt’s story is the story the largest meteorite ever discovered in the United States, found near the present-day city of Portland, Oregon, where Marie Watt is based. For some, it’s known as the Willamette Meteorite. But for the Indigenous peoples of these lands, the Clackamas Chinook, it’s known as Tomanowos.