REDress Project

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The REDress Project at Acadia University in 2015.

The REDress Project by Jaime Black is a public art installation that was created in response to
the missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) epidemic in Canada and the United States.
The on-going project began in 2010 and commemorates missing and murdered indigenous women
from the First Nations, Inuit, Métis (FNIM), and Native American communities by hanging empty red
dresses in a range of environments.[1] The project has also inspired other artists to use red to draw
attention to the issue of MMIW, and prompted the creation of Red Dress Day.

Contents

 1Background
 2Symbolism
 3Installations
 4Influence on others
 5Associated campaigns
 6References
 7External links

Background[edit]
Main article: Missing and murdered Indigenous women
Jaime Black identifies as Métis, an ethnic group native to parts of Canada and the United States of
America, which traces their descent to both indigenous North Americans and Western European
settlers. Black was working at the Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art gallery
in Winnipeg when she attended a conference in Germany. She heard Jo-Ann Episkenew speak
about the hundreds of missing and murdered women in Canada.[2][3]
Black proposed to include a display of red dresses in a workshop at the University of Winnipeg’s
Institute for Women’s and Gender Studies. Black says the image of an empty red dress hanging
outside came to her whilst listening to Episkenew speak, but has since identified an influence from
the book cover of Métis author Maria Campbell's novel The Book of Jessica.[3] The university agreed
with Black's proposal, and helped her source the dresses.[2]
To date more than 400 dresses have been donated by women across Canada.[4] Families of missing
or murdered women have contributed dresses, and attended some of the exhibitions.[3]

Symbolism[edit]

Art installation inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black at Seaforth Peace Park, Vancouver, Canada on the National
Day for Vigils for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women 2016.

Black chose the colour red after conversations with an indigenous friend, who told her red is the only
colour the spirits can see. "So (red) is really a calling back of the spirits of these women and allowing
them a chance to be among us and have their voices heard through their family members and
community".[5] Black has also suggested red "relates to our lifeblood and that connection between all
of us",[4] and that it symbolises both vitality and violence.[6]
The dresses are empty, so that they evoke the missing women who should be wearing them. Black
has said: "People notice there is a presence in the absence".[4][6][7]
Whilst some installations of the dresses have been indoors, the preferred space for the installation is
outdoors. When outside, the dresses interact with nature, drawing the eye of passersby and
introducing them to the MMIW issue through information panels.[4] Some critics feel the installation is
more powerful in natural environments,[6] but others have highlighted the impact within the urban
environment in emphasising this is not purely a rural issue.[7]

Installations[edit]
The installation has been exhibited in more than 30 locations around Canada, and varies based on
location.[3] In 2019, it had its first exhibition in the United States of America. Notable installations
include:

 March 2011: first exhibition at The University of Winnipeg.[8]

 May 2011: the Manitoba Legislature.[citation needed]
 October 2013: one floor of the Ecocentrix exhibition in the Bargehouse gallery, OXO Tower,
London, was given over to the dresses.[9]
 2014: Canadian Museum for Human Rights, where several dresses are now part of the
permanent display.[10]
 4 October 2015: Black asks women across Canada to display red dresses in their homes,
businesses or public spaces as an act of support on National Day of Vigils to Remember
Murdered and Missing Aboriginal Women.[5][7]
 March 2019: Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, with 35 dresses outside
the building.[2]

Influence on others[edit]

Maxida Märak and Buffy Sainte-Marie at Riddu Riđđu 2019

In 2017, 17-year-old Cree head young lady jingle dancer Tia Wood asked other dancers at
the Gathering of Nations Powwow to wear red as part of a special, old-style jingle dance, which is a
type of healing dance, out of respect for missing and murdered indigenous women[4] and to raise
awareness of the epidemic.[11] The Red Dress Jingle Special she organised has continued to be
presented at pow-wows ever since.[12]
A Mi’kmaq woman by the name of Sasha Doucette photographs pieces of red clothing in her
hometown of Eskasoni.[4][13] Originally, she placed red dresses for the women and red ribbon shirts
for the men at the sites where they have been murdered, but she has also started doing the same
for people who have not died of violence, but whose deaths could have been otherwise prevented.[13]
Buffy Sainte-Marie has been inspired by the project to hang a single red dress up on stage at her
concerts.[14] In July 2019, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tanya Tagaq, and Maxida Märak prominently displayed
a single red dress on stage when they performed together at Riddu Riđđu.[citation needed]

Associated campaigns[edit]
 AmINext
 Idle No More
 Walking With Our Sisters

References[edit]
1. ^
 Heitkamp, Heidi. "Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women: Resources & Information".
Retrieved October 31, 2017. In 2016, North Dakota alone had 125 cases of missing Native
women reported to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), compared to 5,712 total Native
 women cases reported in the United States. However, the actual number is likely much higher, as
cases of missing Native women are often under-reported and the data has never been officially
collected. Heidi Heitkamp Senator of North Dakota
 "REDress exhibit highlights epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women". The
Guardian. March 7, 2019.
 "Rep. Haaland addresses Congress on epidemic of missing, endangered indigenous
women". KRQE Media. March 14, 2019.
 Hopkins, Ruth (September 11, 2018). "When the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Crisis Hits Home". Teen Vogue. With issues concerning jurisdictional power and poor
communication between families and local, state, tribal, and federal authorities contribute to the
epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
2. ^ Jump up to:a b c Ault, Alicia. "These Haunting Red Dresses Memorialize Murdered and Missing
Indigenous Women". Smithsonian.org. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
3. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Tam, Ruth (March 23, 2019). "Can art speak the truth about violence against
indigenous women?". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
4. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f Bolen, Anne (Spring 2019). "A Place for the Taken: The REDress Project Gives
a Voice to Missing Indigenous Women". National Museum of the American Indian. 20 (1).
Retrieved July 29,2019.
5. ^ Jump up to:a b Suen, Fan-Yee (October 3, 2015). "Red dresses seek to draw attention to missing,
murdered aboriginal women". CTV news. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
6. ^ Jump up to:a b c Jenkins, Mark (March 15, 2019). "In the galleries: Hanging garments symbolize
violence against indigenous women". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
7. ^ Jump up to:a b c Rieger, Sarah (September 30, 2015). "Red Dresses Draw Attention To Canada's
Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women". Huffington Post (Canada). Retrieved July 30, 2019.
8. ^ "Exhibitions". The REDress project. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
9. ^
 Haines, Wendy (December 7, 2013). "Ecocentrix -A Critical Response". By Jove theatre
company. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
 "EcoCentrix: Indigenous Arts, Sustainable Acts". indigeneity.net. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
10. ^
 MacGregor, Roy (November 28, 2014). "Curating hope for a future free of fear at the Museum for
Human Rights". Globe and Mail Canada. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
 McRae, Matthew. "Five women all Canadians should know". Canadian Museum for Human
Rights. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
11. ^
 Pratt, Stacy (May 1, 2017). "This Cree dancer organized a red dress jingle dance to remember
missing and murdered indigenous women". Yahoo! News. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
 Hampshire, Gareth (April 23, 2017). "Saddle Lake dancer lands prestigious role in one of world's
largest powwows". CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
12. ^ "Red Dress Jingle Special – UNM KIVA's 63rd Annual Nizhoni Days Powwow". Yahoo! News. May
1, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
13. ^ Jump up to:a b Mustain, Jeane (October 12, 2016). "Local REDress project honours missing,
murdered Nova Scotians". The Signal. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
14. ^
 Levesque, Roger (September 21, 2019). "Review: Buffy Sainte-Marie is still ready to slay the
world's injustice in song". Edmonton, Canada: Edmonton Journal. Retrieved September 27,2019.
 Chua, June (September 23, 2015). "Q&A with Polaris Prize winner Buffy Sainte-Marie". Yahoo
News!. Retrieved September 27,2019.
 Gentili, Mark (July 7, 2017). "Curious about the feather mobile on stage at Northern Lights?
Here's the answer". Sudbury. Retrieved September 27, 2019.