The Okanagan Nation has accepted the unique responsibility bestowed upon us by the Creator to serve for all time as protectors of the lands and waters in our territories, so that all living things return to us regenerated. When we take care of the land and water, the land and water takes care of us. This is our law.

-syilx Water Declaration excerpt

Working in the medium of vinyl, Sheldon Louis’ Front Lines explored a political approach removed from Louis’ traditional acrylic on canvas work. Using the aesthetics of street art to prompt discussion of indigenous sovereignty and the contradictions between the words and actions of our politicians and judicial system, Louis references legal documents and political quotes illustrating how colonial approaches to land use, ownership and indigenous rights are structured to suppress the rights and independence of indigenous populations.

Louis stated “When we speak to the health and well-being of our people, we speak to our responsibility to maintain the health and resiliency of the tmxʷ ulaxʷ (land) and the timxʷ (Four Food Chiefs). As our existence is intertwined and woven together with all other beings on this land, an alteration or destruction of this natural world will impact our direct relationship of living in harmony and balance. It is in this belief that we understand our inherent responsibility to protect the land and its waters.”

Sheldon Pierre Louis, a member of the Syilx Nation, is a multi disciplinary Syilx Artist. Sheldon's ancestral roots have influenced his works in painting, drawing, carving, and sculpting. Sheldon sits on the board of directors for the Arts Council of the North Okanagan in his second term as well sits at the Board for the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives. In his political capacity he also sits at the Greater Vernon Cultural Plan Committee. His work has been published in the Arts and Council Guide for the North Okanagan 2016 and 2017 as well as many news publications. Sheldon assisted Okanagan Indian Band attaining the 2016 FPCC Youth Engaged in the Arts Award and recently was awarded the FPCC 2020 Sharing Across Generations Arts Award. Sheldon is the lead visual artist of the Kama? Creative Aboriginal Arts Collective & is a member of Ullus Collective, both groups based in Syilx Art. He is also a member of the Re-Think 150: Indigenous Truth Collective a group of indigenous and non indigenous allies working to educate society of indigenous and environmental issues.

For more information about Louis and his work, please visit his website.