About.
Lokotah Sanborn (b. 1995) is an interdisciplinary artist and community organizer. He grew up on the Penobscot Nation reservation near Old Town, Maine. His art is grounded in historical analysis and shaped by his experience in community organizing for land return, cultural continuity, and Indigenous sovereignty. Lokotah works for the documentary film team Sunlight Media, an organization documenting stories at the intersection of Wabanaki rights and environmental justice. His work has been featured in museums and galleries across the US. He is currently based in Portland, Maine.
This world is shaped by contradiction. Our economic and political systems crush the human spirit, exploiting all aspects of our lives. As a result, there are historical elements of absurdity, alienation, and surreality that continue to present themselves in everyday life. I explore these themes through a variety of media, including painting, found objects, archival documents, photography, collage, video, and audio. My role as a community organizer and historical researcher shapes my work, which foregrounds the spirit of hope within continued resistance toward liberation and sovereignty by colonized peoples.