Cannupa Hanska Luper
Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Lakota
Based in Glorieta, New Mexico, Luger places an optimistic emphasis on Native peoples’ proven ability to adapt to a changing world. He delves into speculative fiction to present a future “where we’re in right relationship with our environment and our kin.” The work shown here is part of a series that uses installation, video, and performance art to tell an ongoing narrative about combating societal ills. Among these, according to Luger, are capitalism and colonialism, which manifest as corporeal monsters. Set in an undetermined time, the video shows heroic “monster slayers” bringing water to a barren landscape. The desert reciprocates, providing tools for confronting the evil forces.
