Outdoor ArtMother Hears You Cry is an outdoor installation to bring awareness to #MMIWC (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children). It's an ongoing crisis across all of Turtle Island.
In North Dakota August 2025, almost a dozen teens went missing in 17 days, more than half were Indigenous children. The crisis has only gotten worse as in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana where more than half of listed missing persons are Indigenous. The great plains being the artist’s homeland, Laken feels responsible for spreading more awareness as great plains Natives are often forgotten as they lack resources and support from outside communities. Sadly, a lot of the work is left up to the families of these missing relatives.
Using wild clay she processed and tempered herself, Laken uses photos from missing posters for Indigenous children in ND to inspire her sculpting. Focusing on key features from the missing photos she sculpts faces and molds them onto the bark of mother’s skin.
Though the crisis is ongoing, brown earth (wild clay) represents missing spirits. Mother Earth (tree) represents nourishment and protection. Through connection with mother earth, no matter where these spirits lay, they're still with us and never forgotten. Mother Earth hears you cry and she is protecting the spirits of our lost relatives. Through connection to the land they are still here, and we will never stop looking.
About the artist:
Laken is an Indigenous (Lakota) poet and artist. Recently, her poem was published by Abalone Mountain Press’ Issuu, “Beauty All Around Us: An Indigenous Food and Sovereignty Zine” along with 15 indigenous youth. At the moment she works primarily with wild clay but is always experimenting with different mediums including headpiece jewelry and black light art. Her work is rooted in reconnection with her heritage and finding her place between two worlds. Creation is her medicine while navigating through her identity as both Indigenous and German. She hopes to bridge the gap for anyone going through the same.
If I listen…
My ancestors speak in tongues through the wind–
Stolen spirits taken too soon.
If I place my hands into wild clay
I hear the beating of my own heart.
When I breathe, I feel the ache
in mother’s soul. How it echos
through my body, through the wind.
Stolen spirits taken too soon
If I slow down, I hear the
soft cries of missing relatives.
I imagine their spirits running wild
through the untamed hills.
Running and running until they
find their families or their families
find them.
Stolen spirits taken too soon
If you listen through the cold clay,
you might hear them.
If you breathe, you'll feel them.
Know in your heart-
Mother hears you cry.
This poem is about my project and the ongoing crisis of missing and stolen relatives; even though they are not found, mother earth knows where their spirits lay and protects them. Through connection with the trees and brown earth (wild clay) my ancestors talk to me and gift me the idea. Creator helps me give life to the idea.
