After Serge Attukwei Clottey’s “The Wishing Well”, which explores the socio-political, economic, environmental and cultural legacies of the African colonial project, and Ghada Amer’s “Women’s Qualities”, which offers a place to contemplate and reflect on oneself, we now discover Nicholas Galanin‘s installation for Desert X 2021. 

Born in 1979, Nicholas Galanin uses his art to shed light on themes related to the relationship that man has with the land he lives on and how this relationship is reflected in the culture of a place. This research could not remain indifferent to the situation of the Indian reservations in America, in all respects the property of the federal state, but inhabited by Native American tribes. 

In order to give these people back what is rightfully theirs, Nicholas created Never Forget, a huge 44-foot-high (just over 13 metres) sign that reads ‘INDIAN LAND’. 

Il riferimento alla famosa scritta “HOLLYWOOD” sul Monte Lee a Los Angeles non è casuale. Se questa scritta, che in origine era “HOLLYWOODLAND”, è stata realizzata per promuovere un progetto di sviluppo immobiliare rivolto soprattutto ai bianchi, quella di Nicholas Galanin è stata realizzata per ricordare a quelle stesse persone che la terra in cui vivono non gli appartiene. Never Forget è un atto di riappropriazione di quelle stesse riserve che sono state tanto celebrate nel film western e che hanno ospitato le star del cinema che non potevano allontanarsi troppo da Los Angeles. 

“The Land Back movement is not about removing anyone who lives here from this land. It’s about recognition of, and respect for Indigenous knowledge and sovereignty, and returning what was violently invaded and occupied.” – Nicholas Galanin

The presentation of the work is accompanied by a fundraiser aimed at helping the Cahuilla tribe to legally regain possession of the land they have lived on for centuries.