Season 1, Episode 9
Denae Shanidiin, Photographer
Through her camera Denae Shanidiin sheds an intimate light onto her subjects’ more subtle moments in life. Other bodies of work discretely document communal events, capturing stoic portraiture of the people involved. Her photographs move through personal relationships woven between family, identity, culture, emotion and creation. Born on the Diné Bikeyah (Navajo land) Denae feels a strong connection to home. Half Navajo and half Korean, Denae and her five sisters were raised by their mother, grandmother and extended family. Her artistic eye explores her identity as a Diné (Navajo) woman.
Denae works as a freelance sign painter in Salt Lake City. She considers her photography some of her most developed work, but she enjoys various forms of art and creation including building eclectic dolls, ceramics, sculpture, book making and spoon carving.
Producer / Editor
Ashley Swanson