Your Presence Here Isn't Enough, 2020 by Mika Martinez

About the Artist:
 

Living as a guest on the land of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Mika is a visual storyteller with more than twenty years of experience. She’s photographed everything from babies and families to edgy boudoir, weddings, and pivotal moments in history. She’s a self-taught artist who learned photography on the job and until 2019 worked with cameras borrowed and gifted by those who saw her passion and potential.

As a Queer Chingona and second-generation Mexican American, Mika is passionate about using photography to transform ideas of possibility by creating and sharing bold and authentic stories. She operates through a lens of decolonization, choosing to take the role of a conduit rather than the owner of the photos she records. Recognizing her position as a creator, Mika focuses on sharing authentic narratives guided by those she’s photographing and collaborating with. In this way, she aims to inspire a more inclusive world and to invite people to see themselves as valued and reflected in it, while also presenting a broader representation of people and ideas that are often lacking in mainstream media. 

In 2018 Mika joined an artist consignment shop that shared space with Don’t Shoot Portland in the historic Albina Arts Building in North Portland. Moved by the way DSP uses art and activism to connect and amplify the voices and experiences of young people, she offered her skills as a visual storyteller to support the varied work being done by them and other organizers. Her images amplify stories of joy and connection, while also recording moments in the city that showcase a demand for change. Her work often acts as a marker of history, creating a visual archive for current and future generations to reflect on the impact that activism can have on the community. Her work with DSP and organizations like Photographers Without Borders has inspired Mika to speak out about the role that visual storytellers have and to share more ethical practices for the industry to adopt.

Mika is a changemaker. She is an educator, and an archivist, and is part of a vibrant and rich global community of mindful and ethical storytellers who are working to change the world one story at a time.