Artist Statement: Wren Holzinger

Artwork by Wren Holzinger

A key part of the Northwest Environmental Justice Center's work is supporting the communities we've worked alongside to amplify and share their stories. We've contracted with artists to work with these communities in telling their stories visually. Below, artist Wren Holzinger who has produced pieces for some of our Alaska communities, shares her artist statement:

Collage is a medium that mirrors the identity of the 21st-century Native. We are a mixture of our past cultural practices, stories, and ways of life, passed down by our Ancestors for over 10,000 years. Yet we also carry the modern advancements and technologies that now shape who we are and how we interact with the world around us. The contemporary Native combines their ancient wisdom with new technologies to create an ever-evolving blend of culture. Collage as a medium encourages these ideals and unites the past and the future to reimagine these landscapes of home.

Artwork by Wren Holzinger

Wren Holzinger was born and raised in Alaska and maintains a strong connection to the natural world due to this early environmental influence. She is Inupiaq and Lingít and is a member of the Kaagwaantaan (Eagle Wolf) clan of the Ch’áak Kúdi Hít (Eagle Nest House) of Sitka. Growing up in a place that often feels isolating, community is vital. Her work encompasses this duality, speaking to the human experience of solitude and the desire for connection with others.