Matrilineal Memory

"Memories are powerful. A smell, a sound, or a flavor can send you spiraling down a rabbit hole of a moment you've long forgotten" -Mikaela Shafer.

"Matrilineal Memory" dances the delicate boundary between waking and dreaming, blurring the boundaries between memory and reality. It plays with the concept of how memories can resurface unexpectedly, triggered by a smell, taste, or sound, blurring the line between what is real and what is remembered.

This collection of paintings and poetry poignantly explores memory, emotion, storytelling, and healing through matrilineal lines. Featured in a solo exhibition at the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation in 2024, Mikaela Shafer's imaginative work showcases a unique process that incorporates unconventional elements like dried corn and unconventional materials like kombucha "mother" leather to craft elaborate patterns and textures.

Powered by a generator and with a box of supplies, Mikaela created the paintings immersed in landscapes from the mesas of Bacavi to the oceans and forest of Washington, connecting her home to her homelands. These intricately woven layers of texture, fabrics, and paper narrate a compelling tale of memory, resilience, strength, and healing. Coupled with evocative poetry, Shafer's artistic expression communicates a story and transforms viewers' perceptions of the artwork, inviting them to introspect and reimagine.

Shafer's creative process evolves into a profoundly moving transformative journey of facing memories head-on, processing and grieving, and ultimately healing. Each painting unearths a new memory, while every poem serves as a conduit for deep emotional release, inviting the audience to connect the art and words with their own experiences