SASKATOON

Red Dress artist behind red ribbons tied around Saskatoon to address MMIWG

Laura Woodward Multi-Skilled Journalist CTV News Saskatoon

Published Wednesday, November 22, 2017 7:06PM CST

Families of missing and murdered Indigenous women tie a red ribbon around a Saskatoon tree to honour their lost loved ones. Artist Jaime Black, third from left, was handing out the ribbons at the MMIWG inquiry Wednesday. (Laura Woodward/CTV Saskatoon)

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Artist Jaime Black is behind the red ribbons tied around Saskatoon to raise awareness of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

The Winnipeg-based Metis artist, also behind the Red Dress project, handed out red ribbons to families at the MMIWG national inquiry in Saskatoon on Wednesday.

Black created the Red Dress project about 7 years ago as an aesthetic response to violence against Indigenous women. The red ribbons have a similar sentiment.

“It’s about having their loved ones represented and heard and to bring visibility to this issue,” Black told CTV News.

“It makes for really amazing conversations between people who may not be experiencing any violence in their families and people who are directly experiencing it.”

Black aims to hand out more of the ribbons when she is in Thunder Bay for the inquiry.