Indigenous communities specifically, and in relation to the hegemonic culture of the U.S. nation-state more broadly. The story reframes the understanding of heteronormativity and tribal citizenship while also presenting the woman in the film as a creative artist and loving daughter: something much deeper and more complex than how Indigenous women have been portrayed in the mainstream. It is opposing notions of what a Native woman is supposed to be. Hopefully, it inspires the audience to consider thinking about Native American people in a different way and to ask questions; such as the questions you are asking me now. Your works show powerful "social effort". It could seem a specious question, however: in your opinion what role does the artist have in society? The artist provides society with new emotions. The artist creates controversy, provokes imagination and challenges the boundaries of society to achieve a more open world. This role is very important. A recurrent characteristic of many of your artworks is experience as starting point of artistic production: in your opinion, is experience an absolutely necessary part of creative process? In my opinion, I think that the artistic process is predicated on the acceptance that art is an immersive, provocative, and transformative experience. Thanks for sharing your time with us, Marcella. What's next for you? Have you a particular project in mind you would like to share with our readers? Well, I took a yearlong hiatus from film and video art to make a human. I have made an incredibly dangerous daughter with fierce strength, which has proven to be my most profound creation. Of course I will continue with the archive project, and I look forward to working more with the stories of Native American transsexuals who identify as women. Beyond that I also have a fantasy to do a stop motion experimental piece backstage at the
A still from bloodmemory
New York City ballet. So we’ll see. It is an absolute honor to share my work and my thoughts with your readers. I genuinely appreciate the opportunity.
52