As In a Body brings together work by Urban Indigenous artists Whess Harman, Kwiigay iiwaans, Sydney Pascal, and Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun, exploring their communities, connections to land, sustenance, and other embodied experiences, spanning sound, drawing, sculpture, film and installation. Sweating together in a mosh pit as joyous refusal, negotiating language pronunciation with a vocalizer, conjuring home while holding the grief of environmental collapse, reclaiming cultural knowledge via repurposed pizza boxes; the works in this show are a rousing response to the complexities of living in this time and place together.
In conjunction with Somewhere We Have Travelled, an exhibition celebrating the centennial anniversary of Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) as well as the long history of Indigenous students attending the school, grunt gallery presents this group show of four Indigenous artists who have connections to both ECU and our gallery. Co-curated by Katrina Orlowski and Vance Wright.
About the Artists:
Whess Harman (he/they) is a member of the Carrier Wit’at Nation, a nation amalgamated by the federal government under the Lake Babine Nation and currently resides on the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. He doesn’t like cops and believes in land sovereignty for Indigenous peoples across the globe, including Palestine. In his arts practice he works primarily in drawing, text and textiles. As an independent curator and occasional editor and contributor of art publications, they prioritize emerging queer and BIPOC cultural workers and artists. While working through many mediums, Whess is often working through ideas of resistance, and works from the foundation of his identity as a queer, trans member of Carrier Wit’at nation living away from his territories. They position their Indigeneity as both a cultural and spiritual reality, as well as a political identity. He seeks liberated futures alongside the many others who share rage and despair in the face of the seemingly unrelenting shit-storm of empire building. Learn more about Harman by visiting his website at www.whessharman.com
Kwiigay iiwaans (they/them) is a queer disabled multidisciplinary artist from the Haida, Squamish, and Musqueam nations. They explore decolonial 2SQTIBIPOC futurisms through mediums of electronic music, illustration, formline design, beadwork, and animation. They are a committed language learner of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim and X̱aad kíl, the Squamish and Haida languages. They live and work in X̱epx̱ápay̓ay, Vancouver, BC. Visit www.kwiigay.com to learn more about iiwaans.
Sydney Frances Pascal (she/her) is a member of Lil’wat nation. She is currently living and working on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.
Her multi-disciplinary practice includes hide tanning, video, sound, beadwork and poetry. She uses her practice to tell her family’s story, speak about identity and what it is like navigating as an Indigenous person within a colonial society. Her work over the past few years is grounded by her continued connection to land-based material practices. Learn more about Pascal at sydneyp.ca. (Image by Perrin Grauer)
Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun (he/they) is a Coast Salish and Nuu Chah Nulth artist and storyteller from the Snuneymuxw First Nation. His family has roots in Penelakut, Hupacasath and further abroad up and down the Northwest Coast.
His interdisciplinary art practice is rooted in honouring and celebrating the teachings and stories passed down by his family, community, and culture. His practices include digital art, painting, sculpture, creative writing, public installation, and curation.
He currently resides on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ peoples. Learn more about Eliot at www.kwulasultun.com . (Image courtesy of Julie Chadwick)