LEWISTON N.Y. (WKBW) — The three-day event at Artpark aims to shine a light on often untold stories within the Indigenous community. Hanging from tree branches, 13 dresses highlight the stories of 13 murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls.
Domestic violence survivor, Mary Clause, made her own dress to hang to tell her own story.
"I was in a very dark place," she said.
Clause's dress conveys her journey and is the reason she is here today.
"As I was stitching away I thought about all the things I had gone through and on the back is dark because now that I have learned to release those memories they are behind me," Clause said. "And that is why the back of my dress is dark. So on the flip side on the front is like the present and the future. There's hope."
She is one of thirteen artists who will hang their dresses on a tree at the inaugural Red Dress exhibit. Artpark Indigenous producer Michele-Elise Burnet said the exhibit is bringing important stories to life.
"These dresses are all based on the 13 moons and the women's cycle of 28 days. So we are starting this exhibit with 13 dresses made that has been created by 13 families," Burnet said. "So these dresses are coming to life and their on a journey to tell a story and bring awareness."
Perry Ground is a Turtle Clan member and said this exhibit is heavy with untold stories of those who are struggling today and have struggled in the past.
"We are trying to being awareness of a nation wide really continent wide epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women because women play such an integral role in our community," Ground said.
The Red Dress exhibit will be on display at Artpark through Sunday. It's important to note, this exhibit contains sensitive content that may not be suitable for everyone - parental discretion is advised.
