Name/Title
Thirteen Pouches for Thirteen SongsEntry/Object ID
2024.08.01Description
Maria Hupfield (b.1975) defines herself as an Urban off-reservation multidisciplinary Ojibwe artist. Based in Toronto, she was born in Parry Sound, Ontario and is a member of the Wasauksing First Nation.
Hupfield works in a variety of mediums, primarily video and performance art. Her practice embodies feminist performance, Native feminism, and Indigenous creative and oral traditions. She is known for making elaborate mixed media creations/objects out of repurposed everyday materials and activating the works with her own body during her performances.
The artist has an undeniable talent for storytelling, luring us into a visually stunning world of mischief, play, and critique to make space for indigenous histories and bodies and creating dialogue about decolonization, reclamation, indigenous identity, and accountability.
Thirteen Pouches for Thirteen Songs is a sculptural and performative artwork that exemplifies her commitment to activating objects through movement and sound. The piece consists of thirteen hand-sewn pouches made from industrial felt, each representing a song or sound that holds personal and cultural significance. These pouches are not static artifacts—they are meant to be worn, carried, and performed with, transforming them into vessels of memory and storytelling.
The work invites viewers to consider the relationship between material, sound, and body, and how Indigenous traditions can be carried forward through contemporary art practices. Each pouch becomes a tactile archive, a physical embodiment of song, and a gesture of connection between artist, audience, and ancestral knowledge.Artwork Details
Medium
felt, embroidery floss, fabric, beadsDimensions
Height
66.04 cmWidth
27.94 cmDepth
12 cm