Nickole Keith
374 Broken Promises
4’x4′
Acrylic on birchwood
2025

374 Broken Promises is a 4’x4’ acrylic abstract painting on birchwood created in 2025. It displays swirling patterns in shades of red, orange, yellow, purple,  blue, and black in the background intersected by black marks resembling small X’s spanning across the entire canvas. The red, orange, yellow mimics the Fire which in the Potawatomi culture means they  are the “Keepers of the Fire” despite being moved out West their  fire still burns. The X’s are symbolic of the signatures made by Native American Tribal leaders across Turtle Island where they [X’s] represent signatures of all tribes 374 signatures and no treaties honored. The painting has a dynamic, almost whirlwind effect. The colors blend together to create a sense of movement, and the repeated black marks add texture and depth to the composition. The movement of color evokes both turbulence and endurance, while the repeated marks layer texture and history into the composition. 

This work reflects on the legacy of broken treaties between the United States government and American Indian tribes. There are 295 treaties, including 734 articles related to food, emphasizing the dee ties between sovereignty, sustenance, and survival (Dr. Martin Reinhardt, “Decolonization Project”). 

Further information about the Potawatomi Treaties with the United States

Between 1789 and 1867, the Potawatomi entered into over 40 treaties with the U.S. government—the most of any Tribe. Each treaty told part of a larger story of removal, resilience, and sovereignty. Through these agreements, millions of acres of Potawatomi land were ceded, and our people were forced west along routes that would later be known as the Trail of Death. – Forest County Potawatomi Cultural Preservation374 Broken Promises stands as both a visual and spiritual acknowledgment of these histories—a reminder of unfulfilled promises and the enduring strength of Indigenous nations.