EL-D1 (Earth Lines - Dinétah 1)
Single Channel Video & Sound, Duration 00:13:00, Variable Dimensions, 2023. Edition of 4 (2 Editions left)
In his expansive video work EL - D1 (Earth Lines - Dinétah 1), 2023, Yazzie uses aerial footage from Northern Arizona that follows fences, railways, mining sites, as well as rivers, streams, and other lines formed by nature. Though the footage is taken from various locations, Yazzie seamlessly connects them to create the effect of a contiguous landscape. In this meditative survey of the land, Yazzie examines the ways in which natural and human forces have shaped and etched into the earth over time and the overall effects of colonial violence on the landscape.
In Yazzie’s words, “the aerial view of the earth is a unique perspective for humans. It feels fleeting and I often experience a degree of emotional detachment when viewing the land in this way. This disconnected feeling could be considered a subtext in the work, and yet the ability to view the world from above is still so compelling to experience with its distinctive vantage points, patterns, relationships, and hidden narratives that often go unnoticed from standing on the ground. It allows me to reimagine an understanding of distance, space, and time in the environment.
Bikooh (Canyon)
Single Channel Video & Sound, Duration 00:4:15, 2022. Edition of 4 (4 editions available)
Spirit StudiesSingle Channel Video & Sound, Duration 00:6:21, 2022. Edition of 4 (4 editions available)
Spirit Studies is an expansive, open-ended exploration of the intangible aspects of existence. Against the backdrop of the Navajo Reservation land, the video delves into concepts such as consciousness, spirituality, and the intricate connections between the material and immaterial realms. This inquiry seeks to illuminate the unseen forces that shape human experience, offering a space to reflect on the mysteries of life, the nature of being, and the subtle threads that weave together our physical and metaphysical realities. Through this exploration, Spirit Studies invites a deeper understanding of the profound and often elusive elements that define our shared humanity.
Mountain Song
Single Channel Video & Sound, Duration 00:10:30, Variable Dimensions, 2017.Edition of 4 (2 Editions Available)
^^^ Mountain Song is the third chapter in this series of video/film installation work exploring Diné/Navajo sacred mountains. Structured in four verses, the film explores indigenous knowledge, mystery, resource exploitation (uranium), and post-colonial reflections on community life. Conversations I recorded with elders, friends, and community members are set against the backdrop of a personal journey to a sacred Diné/Navajo mountain, Dibé Nitsaa, in southern Colorado, eventually ending at a mountain outside my backyard where I once lived in Phoenix, Arizona. Concurrently throughout the film, the radio chatter of the first humans landing on the Moon in 1969 (Apollo Mission) can be heard. The blending of moon landing audio with aerial views of tribal territories evokes shared historical memories while simultaneously challenging the viewer's role as a perpetual outsider by intertwining it with my own subjective experience of indigeneity.