Tsimshian performance art at the Sydney Biennale

Sacred clown performance artist Skeena Reece slam dunked with her performance at the Sydney Biennale in her Tsimshian dominatrix of radical Indian politics she took over the space, conjuring injustice with a beatbox of video documentary images of secwepemc resistance, Mohawk protest and indigenous self determination. Spitting out rhymes and acts of resistance that rooted her to her role as a warrior and protector. Skeena’s work has always played with the discomfort in facing indigenous ongoing and historical injustice but in ways that leave you liberated and laughing. Outfitted in a Marlon Brando mask she mimed the silence of brando’s speech to the academy delivered by sacheen little feather wherein he rejected the award based on the treatment of native americans in cinema. The mask carved by Haida artist Corey Bulpitt stared out from skeena’s powerful figure. Her regalia a collaboration with Joseph Paul and infamous radical poltotical graphic artist gord hill ( kwagiulth) complete with glitter hand grenade button blanket and images of indigenous defiance on her corset completing her pan-Indian power suit for the 21 at century. Situating herself in a history of indigenous struggle for self determination she takes control and her defiant gaze dares the audience to become part of her subversion and laugh out loud at opression.