Current Place des Arts staff member
Biography
An artist can only convey through their work the experience they have encountered, confronted, and endured. From an early age, I was taught that all life is sacred and that all life is intertwined, with no separation.
In the Kanien’kehá (Mohawk) language, my name is “Otsisto”, which in English means “Star”. I am a mother and member of the Bear Clan and grew up learning about the Longhouse, our spiritual, political and social place of gathering.
As a Kanien’kehá:ka woman born and raised in Kahnawà:ke, I am influenced by the strong sense of family, community, identity and respect for the land.
Artist Statement
Fences #3 and #4 are part of a larger series and extend two pieces I presented in this exhibition last year. In this body of work, I explore the tensions of Indigenous identity—both personally and within a broader cultural context. The recurring imagery of red and white fences, as well as their shadows, serves as a central metaphor. These fences represent division: differing worldviews between Indigenous perspectives and dominant North American frameworks. At times, they suggest containment—being held in by imposed structures; at others, they mark separation—keeping us apart from one another.
Through these works, I aim to convey the friction, conflict, and discord that can arise while navigating between Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds. At the same time, I seek to express the possibility of harmony, balance, and peace that can emerge over time, through lived experience and reflection. Being a lifelong artist and staff member at Place des Arts, I enjoy being a small part of an organization that facilitates the community’s access to the arts, as I believe it plays a vital role in enriching lives and fostering a deeper connection to the world around us.
Instagram: @mohawkartist