Shelley Niro RCA (born 1954) is a Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte filmmaker and visual artist from New York and Ontario.
[1] She is known for her photographs using herself and female family members cast in contemporary positions to challenge the stereotypes and clichés of Native American women.
[3][4] Shelley Niro was born in Niagara Falls, New York and grew up on the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve, near Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
[5] Niro's home life made it easy for creativity to flourish while entertaining her siblings through songs, storytelling, and picture drawing.
Niro's artistic ambitions began with her earning a diploma in performing arts from Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario, in 1972.
[8] Niro often works in diptychs and triptychs, using photographic processes such as photo montage, hand tints, and sepia tones.
[2] Shelly Niro is often compared to the artist Cindy Sherman because they both cast themselves in different roles in an attempt to break down various stereotypes.
Her artistic achievements have also earned Niro fellowships and residencies at major educational and cultural institutions, and the honor of being “Guest Selector” for the NMAI's “Native American Film + Video Festival”.
[21] In 2020, Niro received the Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award.