Merritt Johnson, (b. 1977) 
Mindset (Sweetgrass), 2019 
Digital print 
On loan from the artist 

Merritt Johnson is an artist of mixed descent currently living and working in Sitka. Her woven headset is modeled on virtual reality (VR) goggles, which provide an immersive sensory experience that disconnects the user from reality. Johnson’s headset offers visual and olfactory experiences rooted in land, while providing a temporary disconnect from the effects of colonialism and capitalism. In this photograph, the woven headset is worn by a toddler, suggesting the ways children’s mindsets are shaped in contemporary society. The artist says, “Sweetgrass has provided good mindsets for generations, connecting land, spirit, and intention.”