polaroid from queen of the night, collaboration with aj ethereal
Alexa Black is a multi-disciplinary artist of Nahua, Maya and Irish heritage creating as a guest on traditional, ancestral and unceeded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Xwməθkwəyə̓’m (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-waututh) nations.
Her chosen variety of mediums include small and large format photography as well as graphite drawing. they are the vehicles that reveal the magic of hidden realms that exist parallel to our terrestrial and colonially defined reality. these primarily self taught practices are ignited by the energies of her indigenous ancestral territories, animism and healing.
Her most recent work finds her reconnecting the seams of her fractured identities, by reclaiming and amplifying the voices of her silenced ancestors from matrilineal blood lines.
Enamoured with the wet plate collodion process, Alexa learned the foundations of the craft in 2015. she was able to develop her drawing through a 9 month sponsorship at the Barcelona academy of art in 2022, and further her practice to developing mammoth plates with her new mentor, john coffer in 2023.
EXHIBITIONS
2016 - My Old Soul - All Island Art Show Ḵay Llnagaay Museum - Haida Gwaii
2018 - Wild Like Moonlight - The Station House Gallery - Williams Lake
2018 - Wild Like Moonlight & Star Child Series - at Indigenous Health Hub- Vancouver
2018 - Wild Like Moonlight & Star Child Series - for Bent on Art Festival at Kootenay school of arts - Nelson
2018 - Wild Like Moonlight & Star Child Series for Bent on Art Festival at Fernie Museum - Fernie
2018 - Grey Sky Island of Jewels & Medicine Tongue - Ghosts of Electricity Group Show at Smoke The Moon - Los Angeles
2021 - Cartomancy Series: Major + Minor Arcana - Habit Coffee Shop - Victoria
2021 - Cartomancy Series: Major Arcana - Gastown Tattoo Parlour - Online
2021 - Cartomancy Series- Oxygen Art Centre - Online
2022- Cartomancy Series- The Loft 112 - Calgary
2022- Cartomancy Series- Weesageechak 35 - Toronto
2024 - Cartomancy Series- SEITES STUDIO, The Collector's Gallery of Art, Romana Kaspar-Kraft, Calgary
2024- Cartomancy Series- Earthtones Digital Museum: Magic Items - Online and offline, Montreal
2026 - Cartomancy Series- Nikki Gallery, New Orleans, LA
PUBLISHED
2014 - HABITAT; Nambia and Maroc Super 8 Film - Featured Artist - Invisible City Magazine Issue 08 - Online
2016 - With Darkness as Her Teacher - Featured Artist - VAMP MEDIA - Online.
2020 - Feature article - Discorder Magazine - Winter edition.
2020 - Feature spread - Inner Sleeve Magazine - Winter edition.
2023 - 12th edition Coyopapalotl Itemic - Featured Artist - SEITIES magazine, theme: DREAMS.
AWARDS
2020 - Canada Council of the Arts: Explore and Create grant recipient
2021 - First Place Monovisions Fine Art Black and White Photography: Ne Timikilis Pal Ne Kuyut Papalut
2022 - Native Earth 40 Seeds for 40 Seasons award
2022- Canada Council of the Arts: Concept to Realization grant recipient
2023- Grand Prize Winner Monovisions Conceptual Series of the Year: Datura’s Secrets
2023- ND Awards Photo Contest Winner: Ne Timikilis Pal Ne Kuyut Papalut
2024- Exposure One Awards: Bronze and Honorary Mention in Professional Fashion and Beauty.
2024- Canada Council of the Arts: Explore and Create grant recipient for TUNAL: the sun, spirit, and culture of the last Nahuablantes
RELEVANT EDUCATION
2016- Studio Q Daguerreotype Workshop Wetplate Collodion Negatives & Tin Type Positives - Vancouver
Fall/Winter 2016 - Academy of Fine Arts of Montreal Intensive Program - Montreal
Fall/ Winter/ Spring 2022 & 2023 - Barcelona Academy of Art Full Time Drawing Program (sponsored)
Fall 2023- Mammoth Wetplate Mentorship with John Coffer- Dundee, New York