Thread by @KaylaWayla20

Hey--If you're non-Indigenous and follow this artist, don't. Reconsider. So many Indigenous artists struggle with their art and trying to support themselves, then we have to see artists like this (who are non-Indigenous) using our culture as a "cool aesthetic" become well-known.

I just think about my thread about how Indigenous people are represented/drawn within Japanese media and the answer is that, with a combination of lack of knowledge and respect, easy access to our visual culture, and disregard to our struggles, artists like this can easily garner

a large following by other non-Indigenous people who find it OKAY for art like this to be made. Its really not. This art evokes old stereotypes about us within western media. Making your Indigenous characters' skin distinctly red is reminiscent of racist depictions.

Other stuff: The sexualization of Indigenous men (even if they are "fictional"), the tokenizing of Indigenous visual culture (and there is so many different tribes being appropriated in this person's art) and mixing/matching motifs with no concern to their important origins.

I've seen this person's art from years ago and was shocked to see that they're still posting/drawing appropriative art. It hurts, seeing how so many people seem to enjoy this artist without realizing the darker implications and racism inherent in the imagery/characters.

If you're unable to understand why this art hurts, think of it this way: Indigenous ppl tend to be misrepresented, sexualized, and stereotyped to the point that non-Indigenous ppl are making money off of it. Actual Indigenous artists are ignored and not as widely supported to --

- those that are who aren't even Indigenous. Our art, culture & way of life are commodified for your consumption, & you're now a participant in our cultural genocide. The least you can do is stop supporting this artist & others who make similar art/appropriate Indigenous imagery.

Addition: Support Indigenous artists! A good place to start would be to check out the #nativember tag from past November, and @IndigiShow2020, a past modern Indigenous art convention I organized with other cool artists from diff tribes. Buy our art and support our work!