Maya Tihtiyas Attean ’23

Maya Tihtiyas Attean (b. 1994) is a Wabanaki artist. She grew up on the Penobscot Nation Reservation. Maya creates in a way that reflects her ancestry, resiliency, and culture. Her experience growing up on a reservation then migrating to living in a city has given her a unique perspective of two worlds that merge together through marrying techniques of multiple cultures within her work. The camera is used to navigate the ever-shifting spaces at the margins. Through the lens of Wabanaki history and culture, this work unveils strands of forgotten stories in what is now known as ‘Maine.’ The intergenerational trauma etched into the landscape echoes in these creations, emphasizing the enduring scars embedded in both the earth and bodies. This work invites viewers to ponder the land, contemplating questions of occupation and ownership, urging them to confront what lingers from the specter of colonization. It prompts reflection on who exploits the land, and how systems of oppression have disrupted balance. Maya earned her BFA with honors in Photography in May of 2023 from MECA&D. She is currently one of the 2024 BIPOC artist studio residents at SPACE gallery in Portland, Maine.