Brittany Bendabout (b. 1995, Tulsa, OK) is a portrait and documentary photographer.

With a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Rogers State University, Brittany divides her time between freelance photography and film-related projects. An enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, her work explores the identification and cultural involvement of Native Americans in Oklahoma. The scope of Brittany’s work reflects the community and heritage that she feels deeply connected to as a contemporary artist residing on Muscogee-Creek territory of Oklahoma.

Her current photojournalism series, “The Matriarchs that Made Us,” examines matrilineal societies in Native America. The exploratory project focuses on matriarchal kinship and its centrality to indigenous beings. Her admiration for leading women in native communities has shaped the thesis for this project. The Matriarchs that Made Us highlights indigenous womanhood and resiliency despite the patriarchal and subordination of colonization and western societal norms. A monumental aspiration, Brittany considers The Matriarchs that Made Us a life-long project rooted in communal storytelling and resiliency. The Matriarchs that Made Us is an open project for collaboration, inviting those who share a passion for this vital conversation to connect with Brittany.

Brittany Bendabout is a celebrated visual storyteller and advocate whose work consistently explores the complexities of Native American identity, culture, and justice. Her exceptional photography has earned a prominent place in By The Fire We Carry: The Generations Long Fight for Justice on Native Land, a New York Best Book of 2024 authored by Rebecca Nagle. Additionally, Brittany’s powerful imagery was featured in the Empowerment Issue of Let’s Explore Magazine, further establishing her as a key voice in contemporary visual arts and Native representation.

In 2023, Brittany was selected as an artist-in-residence at the prestigious Tulsa Artist Fellowship’s Studio 101 under the mentorship of Marlon Hall. During this Summer-long residency, she collaborated with a diverse group of artists to document the SHARED histories, present struggles, and future aspirations of Black and Native peoples. The following year, she co-curated Ripples in Tradition, an impactful exhibit presented by the Four Mother’s Collective of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which examined the intergenerational connections between storytelling and cultural practices.

Beyond her visual arts practice, Brittany is also the co-founder of Women in Film Oklahoma, a collective dedicated to connecting and uplifting women, non-binary, and two-spirit individuals within the filmmaking community.

Brittany’s influence spans multiple disciplines, with her work showcased by prestigious organizations such as NPR, the Associated Press, and Art Basel. Her reputation as an esteemed collaborator and advocate for Native and marginalized voices has made her a sought-after artist in the intersection of art, photography, and social justice.