Her Dreams are True (Julia Bad Boy)

This print honors Red Star’s great-great grandmother. The star pattern in the center references Native Star Quilts, which use solid color fabrics, and the floral background was chosen to complement the figure’s paisley dress. Red Star explains, “My work is like a quilt, piecing together timelines. These timelines that have been suppressed or buried.”

Red Star became interested in depicting her family’s history and genealogy as a response to regulations around blood quantum—the controversial U.S. government policy that requires a percentage of “Native blood” to attain tribal citizenship. Red Star considers this work an alternative mode of documentation, “This piece—all these pieces, really—are an alternative record for my daughter. It’s a genealogy for her and for her future kids.”