Shelley Niro

In 2020, Niro received the Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award.

She won the Scotiabank Photography Award in 2017. In 2020, she was awarded the Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award for Art Photography for outstanding achievement in the field of photography.

2009, with support of Telefilm Canada, Niro was able to direct and produce her first film, “Kissed By Lightning” starring Kateri Walker and Eric Schweig about a Mohawk painter in a state of grief. The film premiered at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, and went on to win the Santa Fe Film Festival's 2009 “Milagro Award for Best Indigenous Film”.

In 2009, Niro received the “Milagro Award for Best Indigenous Film” for “Kissed by Lightning” at the Santa Fe Film Festival.

At the 2007 Venice Biennale, Niro's film “Tree” was paired alongside performance art by fellow Native artist, Lori Blondeau, for the Requickening Project, which represents long term collaborations between the indigenous peoples of the Americas and the city of Venice.

2003, Niro's film “The Shirt”, featuring actor Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie, was exhibited in the Venice Biennale along with her photography pieces, and was later presented in the 2004 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Niro participated in prominent exhibitions at the Venice Biennale. In 2003, Niro was the exhibition artist for the Indigenous Arts Action Alliance (IA3) showcasing her photography work, as well as her short film “The Shirt” which was later screened at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.

1998, Niro directed the film “Honey Moccasin” featuring Tantoo Cardinal and Billy Merasty. This film won “Best Experimental Work” at the Dreamspeakers Festival in Edmonton and “Best Feature” at Red Earth Film Festival in Oklahoma.

Niro received two awards for the film “Honey Moccasin” which she directed in 1998. This film won “Best Experimental Work” at the Dreamspeakers Festival in Edmonton, and “Best Feature” at the Red Earth Film Festival in Oklahoma.

1997, Niro directed the film “Overweight With Crooked Teeth” which was meant to poke fun at the common misconceptions and stereotypes of the “Aboriginal Warrior”. In most of her works, Niro likes to play with masquerade, parody, and appropriation while calling out inconsistencies.

The National Museum of American History named Niro a fellow in 1997. She won the Walking in Beauty Award for her 1992 production It Starts With a Whisper. The film Honey Moccasin won Best Experimental Work at the Dreamspeakers Festival in Edmonton, Alberta and Best Feature, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Director at the Red Earth Festival in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was made a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. Her short film The Shirt was presented at the 2003 Venice Biennale and the 2004 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT. Niro was awarded a Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts in 2017.

Niro explored the oral history of the Iroquois people in general and the diaspora of Mohawk people in particular. She is known for her photography, which often combines portraits of contemporary Native women with traditional Mohawk imagery. She uses herself, friends, and family members as models. Her 1992 photographic series, This Land Is Mime Land and 500 Year Itch employ humorous pop culture references, such as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. Niro often works in diptychs and triptychs, using photographic processes such as photo montage, hand tints, and sepia tones.

Niro's first film was It Starts With a Whisper, which she co-directed with Anna Gronau in 1992. Other films include:

1992, Niro directed her first short film “It Starts With a Whisper” with co-director Anna Gronau. In this film, Niro wanted to discuss the issues of gender, Native identity, and colonialism. Niro was able to showcase her unconventional narrative and performance elements using satire, burlesque, and music tracing back to her heritage to convey her perspective as a Native American.

Niro's artistic ambitions began with her graduating from Cambrian College, Sudbury Ontario, in 1972. From there, she received an Honors Fine Arts Degree in Painting and Sculpture from Ontario College of Art in 1990. Niro went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Western Ontario in 1997. In 2000, Niro attended the Banff Centre for the Arts to study film.

Shelley Niro (born 1954) is a Mohawk filmmaker and visual artist from New York and Ontario. She is most noted for her photographs using herself and female family members cast in contemporary positions to challenge the stereotypes and clichés of Native American women.

Shelley Niro was born in Niagara Falls, New York in 1954 and grew up on the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve, near Brantford, Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Turtle Clan. Niro graduated from the Ontario College of Art with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in sculpture and painting. She earned her Masters of Fine Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario.