Does the Land Remember? is a photographic exploration of the Wabanaki landscape, examining the deep and complex relationship between land, history, and identity. Rooted in Wabanaki history and culture, this project investigates the reverberations of colonization, the scars left on both the earth and the body, and the spirit that persists despite displacement from the land. Through image-making, Attean weaves together forgotten truths and personal narratives, engaging with the land as both witness and archive.
Acknowledging the intergenerational trauma of land loss while honoring Wabanaki resilience, Does the Land Remember? blurs the boundaries between reality and the spiritual, inviting reflection upon occupation, ownership, and the forces that disrupt ecological and cultural balance.
Maya Tihtiyas Attean (b.1994) is a Wabanaki (Penobscot & Passamaquoddy) artist based between Connecticut and Maine, raised on the Penobscot Reservation. Her work reflects her ancestry, resilience, and connection to the natural world. Through exploring the duality she embodies within the colonized world, she marries mediums and techniques of multiple cultures to create new realities and possibilities within her work. Maya earned her BFA in Photography from Maine College of Art & Design in 2023 and is currently an MFA Photography candidate at Yale University. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Portland Museum of Art, the Abbe Museum, and the Bates College Museum of Art.
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