Portfolio — Tristan Agnauraq Morgan

'Untitled' oil on birch wood; 2x3 ft (2019)

Encompassing the narrative of the short film "Who We Are" (nationally recognized short film by Alexis Sallee and winner of the She Directed film contest), Untitled was created to emulate my personal relationship with my people, and what that means to me when discussing our connection to our land. Growing up, I was always told that I had a home on the North Slope and will always have ties to the land but it really is our people create our home. Untitled is of my ahna (great aunt) who was one of the Inupiaq women who helped raise me, Marie Iqilana Patkotak. While Marie's face is rendered in full, her surroundings are eroding away, a parallel to the discussion of climate change and how it is affecting us while also showcasing our resiliency and love for our culture and people.

[Detail] 'Untitled' oil on birch wood; 2x3 ft (2019)

'Untitled' oil on canvas; 12x12 in (2018)

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[Detail] 'Untitled' oil on canvas; 12x12 in (2018)

'Untitled (Self Portrait)' oil on canvas; 2x3 ft (2017)

This self portrait represents my growth as an Inupiat womxn and as an artist throughout the three and a half years of college (created during my last semester). Each ring surrounding the figure represents a different point in my art career and my drawn on tavlugun are symbolic in showing my coming of age as an Inupiaq womxn that I obtained a year after this painting was created.

[Detail] 'Untitled (Self Portrait)' oil on canvas; 2x3 ft (2017)

'Berry Girl' oil on wood; 1.5 x 2.5 ft (2017)

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“Atausiq” oil on canvas; 18 x 24 in (x3) (2017)

“Atausiq”, meaning “one” in Iñupiaq, reflects the statistic that ONE IN THREE native women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime, a statistic higher than any other minority. The personal experience of native women is stripped down in these paintings, focusing on the complexity of the heartbreak we experience daily. My mother had the strength to talk to me about her personal experience as a child and how it affected her into adulthood. We cried together, sharing the pain of intergenerational trauma. It’s not only important to understand the horror of these statistics but to also understand the depth of the pain, the heartbreak, and the mourning that our native women experience daily and the reasons WHY these are statistics in the first place. Do some research, listen to native voices, and allow us to speak on our intersectional experiences. #MMIW

[Detail] “Atausiq” oil on canvas; 18 x 24 in (x3) (2017)

'Inupiat Traditional' mixed media; 8x10 in (2017)

Created to emulate American Traditional tattoo design an take back tattooed images of native women.

"Sinillutaqpiin (Sleep well)/Dream Lady" 9x12 in (2018)

An image created from a series of dreams, where this figure visited me during night terrors and brought good energy.

"Tears Rebirthed" 9x12 in (2019)

A reflection of my need to cry in order to heal.

"Tiipak" (2019)

Tiipak means “girly”.

"Maktak" (2019)

Maktak is bowhead whale blubber and skin, eaten raw and typically in small bite-sized pieces. A practice that has been around for thousands of centuries.

"Uuma Avvani (You leave me alone)" (2019)

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