The Last Mohican

2012
Photography, C-Print, 160 x 129.3 cm (63 x 5 in)
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

“The Last Mohican” responds to Thomas Cole’s iconic painting “Kaaterskill Falls” (1820s), which celebrates one of 19th-century America’s most famous natural sites. In Marcin’s reimagined photograph, the original male Native American protagonist is replaced by a female warrior, signaling a shift. The landscape becomes a literal symbol for emotion, linking nature to voices often unheard.

In the photograph, a red waterfall cascades down the cliffside in an isolated forest, where the female warrior stands with a fierce expression, as if sent by Mother Earth herself. The fog, water, and blood evoke a sublime, powerful atmosphere, turning the scene into a performance-based response to Cole’s romanticized portrayal of nature.

The red water in the photograph symbolizes a deep wound, representing humanity’s interference with nature and the bloody history of America. It also alludes to feminine aspects of blood, fertility, and life. Through this work, Marcin critiques Cole’s contradictory stance on nature, highlighting the power dynamics of his time while offering a nuanced reimagining of the native identity and its connection to natural forces.