Manuel Axel Strain

Manuel Axel Strain is an interdisciplinary artist from the lands and waters of the xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Simpcw and Syilx peoples and is a member of Musqueam First Nation. Strain’s parents are Tracey Strain (Simpcw and Syilx) and Eric Strain (xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm and Irish). Strain’s grandparents are Marie Louis (Syilx) from a place called nk̓maplqs, Harold Eustache (Simpcw) from a place called Chu Chua, Helen Point (xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm) and John Strain (Irish). Strain’s great-grandparents are Rose Louis (Syilx), Ben Louis (Syilx), Christine Eustache (Simpcw), Manuel Eustache (Simpcw), Valentina Cortez/Cole (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw), and Tony Point (xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm). Despite attending Emily Carr University of Art + Design, they prioritize Indigenous epistemologies through the embodied knowledge of their mother, father, siblings, cousins, aunties, uncles, nieces, nephews, grandparents, and ancestors. 

Often creating artwork in collaboration with and in reference to their relatives, their shared experiences become a source of agency that resonates through their work with performance, land, painting, sculpture, photography, video, sound and installation. Their work often envelops subjects in relation to ancestral and community ties, Indigeneity, labour, resource extraction, gender, Indigenous medicine and life forces. Strain’s work confronts and undermines the imposed realities of colonialism, proposing a new space beyond its oppressive systems of power. They have contributed work to the College Art Galleries at the University of Saskatchewan, Vancouver Art Gallery, Surrey Art Gallery, UBC Okanagan Art Gallery and were longlisted for the 2022 Sobey Award.