Jaime Black facts for kids

Jaime Black is a Canadian Red River Métis artist and activist. She creates art using many different forms, like installations, photography, and video. Jaime lives and works in her home territory near the Red and Assiniboine Rivers.

Her art often focuses on the identity and experiences of Indigenous people. Black is most famous for the REDress Project. This art installation was created to raise awareness about the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) in Canada and the United States. This crisis involves many Indigenous women who have gone missing or been murdered.

Black's art highlights the ongoing violence against Indigenous women. Her REDress Project has even led to a national holiday in Canada, Red Dress Day. This day remembers and honors Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Early Life and Education

Jaime Black was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario. She later moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, and then to Winnipeg, Manitoba, at age 12. She still lives in Winnipeg today.

Black studied English literature and Native Studies at the University of Manitoba. She also earned a degree in education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.

After her studies, Black taught art at the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in The Pas, Manitoba. She also helped create art lessons for an Indigenous artist center in Winnipeg. Black is a mentor for the Mentoring Artists for Women's Art group. She continues to work with groups that focus on education and Indigenous rights.

How Jaime Black's Art Makes a Difference

Jaime Black's art and activism have had a big impact. She wants people to understand the strength of Indigenous women. In 2019, she said that when people see Indigenous women in red dresses, she wants them to know, "our power is still real. We are going to reclaim it."

Her work has inspired many other Indigenous artists. It has brought more attention to the experiences of Indigenous people.

• Since 2010, May 5 is known as Red Dress Day in Canada. On this day, people are encouraged to remember MMIW. They display red dresses in public and wear red to show support.
• In 2016, artist Sasha Doucette photographed red dresses and shirts. She placed them where Indigenous people had been found dead in her community. She shares these images online to show the violence Indigenous people face.
• Two high school students, Trinity Harry and Joseph Ginter, built a red dress sculpture in 2018. They said Jaime Black was their inspiration.
• At the 2019 Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week, designers used the color red in their clothing. This was to honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
• In 2021, Deb Haaland, a U.S. Representative, wore red to a hearing about MMIW. She did this to honor the missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Jaime Black's Artistic Journey

What Inspires Her Art

Black's art explores ideas like memory, identity, and strength. She believes the body and land are important sources of cultural knowledge. Other Indigenous women have greatly influenced her work. She was inspired to focus on missing and murdered Indigenous women after hearing a presentation by Jo-Ann Episkenew.

In 2009, Black saw a powerful performance in Bogota, Colombia. Three hundred women gathered to draw attention to family members who were murdered or missing. Forty women in red dresses performed a dance and shouted the names of their missing loved ones. Black was inspired by this public display. She wanted to bring the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Canada to public view, both inside and outside art galleries.

She also mentioned that the cover of Maria Campbell’s book The Book of Jessica, which shows a single red dress, was a subconscious influence on her REDress Project.

Major Art Projects

The REDress Project (2010)

The REDress Project is a public art installation that started in 2010. It aims to raise awareness about the many Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, girls, transgender, and Two-Spirit people in Canada. It highlights themes of feminism and Indigenous social justice.

The installation features empty red dresses displayed in public places. These dresses symbolize the violence Indigenous women face. They also serve as a reminder of those who are missing or have been murdered. Even though Indigenous women are only 4% of Canada's population, they make up 16% of all homicide victims. The REDress Project directly responds to these high rates of violence.

Black describes this work as having a spiritual quality. She believes it helps call back the spirits of the women it represents. This allows their stories to be told and remembered, helping communities heal.

The project involves local communities by collecting red dresses for the installations. It has been shown in many places, including the National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. It has also inspired other artists and helped create Red Dress Day.

Art, Action, and the Power of Presence (2025)

A book called "Art, Action, and the Power of Presence" is set to be released in spring 2025. This book shares the voices of Indigenous women, Elders, activists, artists, and family members. They all share their experiences with the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit (MMIWG2S) people. Black shares her own stories and thoughts from her REDress Project in the book. Together, these voices speak out for justice and honor Indigenous women as protectors of land, culture, and community.

Video Artworks

When Land and Body Merge (2020)

"When Land and Body Merge" is a video created by Jaime Black and Lindsay Delaronde. This experimental performance explores themes of body, nature, and Indigenous identity. Black and Delaronde worked together remotely, sharing videos and writings. They treated their different territories as a third partner in the project. The video was shown at several film festivals.

Waawiyebii’ige: She Draws a Circle (2021)

“Waawiyebii’ige: She Draws a Circle” is a video by Jaime Black and Niklas Konowal. This work reflects on how generations of women have worked to end violence. It explores spiritual connections to land and community. The video emphasizes healing and bringing hidden struggles to light to help future generations. It has been shown at various film festivals.

Photography Artworks

Conversations with the Land/We Are the Land (2016-2017)

"Conversations with the Land/We Are the Land" is a series of photographs. It explores themes of identity, memory, and strength. Black shows Indigenous women and nature to express the strong connection between Indigenous people and the land. This collection has been shown many times, sometimes with The REDress Project.

Reimmersion (2020)

“Reimmersion” is a photo series showing Indigenous women underwater. Through these images, Black explores the healing power of water in Indigenous cultures. She also highlights water's importance for Indigenous rights and safety. The series shows water as a source of new beginnings and a symbol of strength.

Casting (2020)

“Casting” is a single photograph by Jaime Black. It shows a white dress submerged underwater. Black has said she isn't sure of the exact meaning of this piece. However, she believes that creating art itself is an important part of her process. She lets the meaning appear naturally through her work.

Other Artistic Works

• 2017: Shards Project
• 2019: Works in Snow
• 2020: Home/Body Home/Land.

See also

• REDress Project
• Red Dress Day