Hyperallergic interviews Métis artist Rosalie Favell as part of its 2026 Pride Month series. Favell discusses her journey of self-discovery through photography, exploring her Indigenous heritage and lesbian identity. A traveling retrospective, "Rosalie Favell: Belonging (1982–2024)," is currently on view at the Art Gallery of Algoma through June 20 and will open at the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery on August 8. Favell uses autobiographical photography, digital collage, and family archives to reconstruct her personal history and assert her place in the world.
The interview matters because it highlights the intersection of Indigenous and queer identity in contemporary art, a perspective often underrepresented in mainstream art discourse. Favell's work demonstrates how personal archives and photography can serve as tools for cultural recovery and self-definition, particularly for Métis people whose histories were suppressed. Her retrospective, spanning four decades, underscores the enduring relevance of autobiographical and community-based art practices in addressing questions of belonging, ancestry, and visibility.