Organized in partnership with AIGA KC, Keith Secola will exhibit “Wounds Many” as part of Travois First Fridays.

“‘Wounds Many’ is the title of my largest piece in the exhibit. It is an old Ute saying that was used before heading into battle,” Secola said. “My work involves the reinsertion of the American Indian identity onto deconstructed book covers of American history. I’m excited to tell the story of my tribal community through the beauty and struggles we have overcome.”

Secola will attend the June First Friday event (6–8 p.m., June 7), where he will give an exclusive artist talk at 6:30 p.m. after event introductions by Edwing Mendez, associate of diversity & inclusion for AIGA KC. Preregistration is available on Travois’ website.

Secola grew up in the Southwest and belongs to the Northern Ute and Anishanaabe nations. He earned an MFA from California College of the Arts in San Francisco, focusing on silkscreen printing, and currently lives and works in Oakland, CA. He received a BFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts in 2012. Finding a balance between contemporary life and tradition, he creates a blend of images, prints, paintings, and installation derived from oral storytelling and Native America to communicate his work.