Kali Spitzer Exhibit: Explorations of Resilience and Resistance at East Window Gallery

To commemorate the Month of Photography, East Window, a BIPOC and LGBTQ-inclusive gallery and creative safe space located in Boulder, Colorado, is hosting the works of photographer Kali Spitzer (she/they). Coming from a diverse background that includes Kaska Dena from Daylu on her father’s side and European Jewish lineage on her mother’s side, Spitzer’s art is a reflection of her heritage. Her training began at the Institute of American Indian Arts and Santa Fe Community College. Studying under Will Wilson, Spitzer discovered and developed her personal process and photography style.

Excerpts from Spitzer’s collection Explorations of Resilience and Resistance / Our Backs Hold Our Stories will be on display at East Window Gallery starting March 3 through June 28. An artist reception is scheduled for March 22.

The artist graciously took some time from her busy schedule to answer some questions regarding her collection and her artistic process. 

Could you share some insight about your process of creation when it comes to your art?

My practice is rooted in care, consent, trust, and communication within community. Many of us and our ancestors have a difficult relationship with photography, as it has been used as a violent colonial tool. These nonconsensual images often spread misrepresentation and stereotypes. Part of trying to heal our relationship to photography is changing our language and how we interact with each other around this medium. For example, I like to say that we are making a photo—not taking a photo. Ethics also play a large role in my process; I work under the ethos of people before profit. 

Ultimately, the intention behind each image is far more important to me than the image itself.

How has this process changed or transformed you throughout the course of your career?

Making work about people who I love and care for is such a gift; it can also be nerve-racking at times! It is important for me to provide genuine care and accurate representation. I hope to show up for the people I photograph in the best way possible. This means that my process is continually adapting to meet folks where they are at, and my consent practices are often updating.

Who/what are some of your biggest influences?

I have so many! To start, my family and the land I come from. So much of the care I show and the values I follow are grounded in my family’s teachings; I have learned so much from them. I have had the great privilege of having four grandmothers in my life, all who deeply influence me and how I move through the world.

Will Wilson, my mentor, now colleague, and part of my family, has gone above and beyond for me. He is a wonderful teacher and a brilliant person and artist. Cara Romero has been a big influence, and I have learned a lot from her. She is exceeding in her art practice and is an amazing business woman and inspiration. Both Will and Cara uplift their community and lead with their heart within their practices, something that influences the way I work. Other artists who inspire me are Francesca Woodman, Catherine Blackburn, Rahim Fortune, Carla Rodrigeuz, Citlali Fabiàn, Cheyenne LeGrande, and Kiliii Yuyan, and many others.

And of course, I am greatly inspired by all the people I have the honor of working with. For each shoot, my inspiration comes from that person and the connection and conversations we have around it.

What would you say is the message you intend on sharing with the world through your art?

There is not one message I strive to share; overall I want to amplify the stories of BIPOC and queer folks, to celebrate us as complex beings. I hope to focus on our collective healing through image. The most special moment for me is creating with another person and seeing their reaction to their power and the person in the image.

Where do you derive your inspiration from?

I view all photographs as a collaborative process. While it is my eye that defines the shot, for the most part, I am photographing something that already exists. I am interacting with and collaborating with someone to create the image. Because of the nature of the art, I don’t think we can call photography anything other than a collaboration. Each collaboration has been special for its own reasons; every connection made through the creation of each photograph has been important.

What are some of your favorite collaborations, and why?

I have done some more collaborations in a traditional sense, I love creating with my friends. The series Braiding Wounds with my dear friend Bubzee sits very close to my heart. I am also very excited about an upcoming collaboration with Crystal Worl; I can’t wait to see what we create together and share with you all!

Could you share your experience working with East Window and anything specific regarding the event that is coming to Boulder in March?

It has been an absolutely fabulous experience working with East Window! I am really excited about other artists they have featured, including Will Wilson. They are lifting our voices and providing space to support us while not turning a profit off our work; this is rare in this industry. It feels like a labor of love, and I am honored to be part of it! A big thanks to everyone involved.

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East Window is a gallery and creative space bringing visibility to marginalized creators who exist in all communities of color, including BIPOC, LGBTQ, and people with disabilities and chronic illness. East Window’s goal is promoting the art and culture of these underrepresented communities by providing a platform for people from all backgrounds to share their hearts and minds through public programming.

You can view excerpts of Spitzer’s collection Explorations of Resilience and Resistance / Our Backs Hold Our Stories at East Window Gallery, located in Boulder beginning March 3 through June 28, 2023. Also join Spitzer for a very special Artist Talk at the gallery on March 22, 2023.

For more info on the event, check out the East Window website. For more info on Kali Spitzer, visit the artist’s website or Instagram page. 

Featured image provided courtesy of Kali Spitzer. Please do not reproduce without the artist’s expressed consent.