Aanje Greymountain

Aanjé K. Greymountain is a Navajo and Ojibwe artist currently earning her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Metal Smithing at Western Michigan University. Her artwork centers around her indigenous identity and the revitalization of Native culture. Her passion for the arts extends past metal smithing and she often creates works in a variety of different media including (but not limited to) digital art, painting, print making, fiber arts, and beading.

This piece comes from my series titled Diné Bahaneʼ: Hero Twins. The series depicts the Hero Twins in their journey of proving their divinity and slaying the monsters terrorizing the Diné. Here, I depict their long-awaited reunion with their family after they successfully slayed the giant. I created this series to honor my ancestors, family, and community, using their guidance and traditional knowledge to influence the direction of each piece. By spreading my art, I hope that others will also be inspired to reconnect with their roots, so our ancestral wisdom doesn’t die out, and our community will heal/grow.