In Search of Water
After the outbreak of the Puget Sound War in 1855, the U.S. government used Fox Island as a temporary reserve/internment camp, where "non-hostile" Indigenous people (including the Puyallup, Nisqually, Steilacoom, and others) were forcibly relocated and confined. These were mostly women, children, and elders—hundreds of people removed from their villages under military threat and confined on the island in harsh winter conditions. Many died from illness, starvation, and exposure. Although framed by the government as protection, this was, in fact, an act of control and displacement.
Epiphany Couch’s In Search of Water series highlights five islands important to Indigenous communities in the Pacific Northwest and reflects on the deep cost of colonial violence and historical erasure in the region. Using photographs taken in these regions, each hand-pieced photo quilt becomes a story of place, shaped by light, texture, and memory. Alongside each quilt, embossed islands rise from the surface, revealing coastlines, inlets, and elevations, blending Couch’s personal experiences with the complex and layered histories of these places.
The works present these islands not just as points on a map, but as homelands, refuges, and cultural centers. They carry ancestral memory and hold the presence of those who came before. Each piece honors the strength of Indigenous communities and the enduring relationship between people and the waters and lands that sustain them.
Exhibitions:
Mapping Familiar Territories, Charting New Paths
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at PSU: 1855 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201
January 20 – April 25, 2026
Opening reception: January 29th, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Photography: Mario Gallucci