Lines of Belonging is an Art Photography about Successful Indigenous People of Canada.

My name is Ksenia Leus, I am a published photographer, producer, and journalist with 17 years experience in photography.

I'm raising funds to create an art photography exhibition and book showcasing successful indigenous people of Canada.

This art project is a social and anthropological study consisting of a series of 15 photographic portraits of individuals and families from different Indigenous Nations across Canada. The project explores what it means to be a genuine, resilient, and self-realized person within Indigenous communities, and it seeks to show that reconnecting with oneself is possible.

A central theme of the project is success, how the heroes of this series define it for themselves, and what their personal journeys reveal about strength, leadership, and community. Through their stories, the project highlights diverse paths to well-being, fulfillment, and empowerment.

The project is shaped by my love for people and their vulnerability, and by an aesthetic language that I've developed over two decades, inspired by fashion and beauty. It celebrates the individuality and cultural identity of each participant. The heroes of this series become co-creators of their own portraits and their self-expression is an essential element of this work.

These portraits present examples of courage, dignity, and renewal, offering inspiration to those who are still healing from trauma, including violence, loss, family separation, and other forms of pain, as well as to those seeking direction, encouragement, or a model of what success can look like in their own lives.

My interest and passion for Indigenous cultures are rooted in my own heritage as a Mari, with ancestry from the Tats of Dagestan and Jewish roots.

This diverse background has shaped my sensitivity to themes of identity, ancestry, and cultural continuity.

The funds raised in this campaign will be used to finance travel to my heroes' locations (I've already identified heroes in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan), equipment and studio rental, printing costs, and exhibition preparation expenses.