Dene Aesthetics is both an exhibition and a theory that seeks to bridge complex Dene renderings of being and language, reaching across alter-Native realms of knowing to trace the outlines of a living, ongoing aesthetical theory. Laura Grier looks for atypical ideas of Dene-ness that enact creative making through the use of decolonial printmaking processes that are rooted in relationality, resistance, spirituality and revitalization.

Laura’s hand-crafted printmaking tools are both functional and ceremonial, each carrying its own spirit. Letterpress becomes a method of expression and language revitalization through DIY letterpress type in Dene syllabics. Laura’s relationships to materials are important, and the use of bright neon resin sparks false pleasure, followed by a reminder of plastic doom, reflecting one of their many depressional hauntings. Neon pink often represents Laura’s depression, while other pink and purple tones evoke a buried feminine and amorous persona, starving for joy. Most of all, neon pink is a synthesized, electrified version of a primary colour, much like Laura’s sense of Dene-ness—luminously fragmented, yet with a deep inner core that remains undeniably Dene. Everything within their work around Dene Aesthetics holds intention, spirit, and history. Dene have always adapted, reshaping themselves to survive and thrive in any environment.

“There are one million ways to be Dene,” and for Laura it unfolds as a run-on Dene-ness of being an urbanized sad-girl who is sleep-deprived depressed dreaming lusting mumbling relational synthetic pink loving pink hating black wearing bougie awkward cold loving language learning shit talking weirdo and so on. 

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Laura Grier is a Sahtu Délı̨nę First Nations artist and printmaker, born in Somba ké (Yellowknife), and based out of Alberta. Through the use of traditional print mediums, they instrumentalize the power of the handmade to reflect Indigeneity, aesthetics, language, relational ontologies and lived experiences of displacement. Laura’s work is inspired by the dynamism of Indigenous art practices and uses printmaking as a tool for resistance, refusal and reflexivity. They hold a BFA from NSCADU (K'jipuktuk) and an MFA from OCAD University (Toronto) and are currently a PhD candidate in Visual Arts at York University.

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