NONAMEY is a trans, Two-Spirit, Indigenous multidisciplinary artist and designer from the Ojibwe Nation, hailing from the Bad River and Lac du Flambeau tribes. Based in Portland, Oregon, they use found and recycled materials like cardboard to create vibrant and meaningful works spanning sculpture, fashion, video, and installations. Their practice is deeply rooted in anti-colonial aesthetics and storytelling, exploring themes of memory, resilience, and the survival of trans and native bodies. In their debut fashion collection, Threaded Lineage, they created upcycled garments with personal narratives connected to their family and people's stories.
Through their work, NONAMEY challenges the norms of the cisgender-dominated art world simply by existing as a queer, Two-Spirit, and Indigenous person and creating art. They want to take what has been left behind by others and "continue their narrative". This includes pieces that reflect their lived experience, such as a jacket created for their grandmother, a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman (MMIW), and another for their cousin. Their creations serve as powerful tools for resistance and ceremony, bridging fashion, sculpture, and reclamation to honor their identity and community.
