Abject Who?
CreateSpace Public Art Forum 2022
An artistic response to the 2022 CreateSpace Public Art Forum, a national forum virtually convening participants who identify as Black, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), racialized, rural and/or youth with disabilities and between the ages of 18-25. Participants were presented with online talks themed around public art practices, studio tours by artist facilitators, a Keynote Event by artist Lori Blondeau, and opportunities to engage with fellow peers to inspire their final creations.
Project at a Glance
45
CreateSpace participants
10
artist facilitators
1
keynote speaker
Artist Statement
These pieces focus on the idea of Black bodies being displaced within many art spaces, for example the Louvre. When no space is present the Black forms resilience will take place elsewhere.
About the Artist
Kawama Kasutu
22 year old, Zambian born artist Kawama Kasutu is a self taught multidisciplinary artist from Halifax NS and is studying Visual Material Culture Studies in her final year at Mount A. Kawama’s mediums include sewing, poetry, painting and sculpture.
The inspiration for her work often blooms from within her communities, her passion for craft, community building and self expression. Some of her most recent practices have focused on using art to create space for Black bodies within white colonial spaces, more specifically Victorian fashion and the lingering ideals connected to the Black form “Re-Imagining Colonial Fashion: The Victorian Dress, an Inspired practice”. This includes exploring historic dress practices, the dress practices of the Herero women, and finding a personal identity within the relationship of black bodies and historic dress practices. The second project “Weaving Weaves: Reupholstering the Conversation on Antique Art”, focused on the idea of opening the discourse on vintage art to include Black voices.
CreateSpace Public Art Forum
STEPS Public Art believes public art has the ability to challenge the systemic inequities that exist in public space. In support of this important work, we facilitate artist capacity building programs that foster inclusive public art practices, build the capacity of underrepresented artists, and demonstrate how public art can help reimagine equitably designed cities.
CreateSpace Public Art Forum is a digital forum that virtually convenes participants who identify as Black, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), racialized, rural and/or youth with disabilities and between the ages of 18-25. This forum fosters connections, builds understanding across geographies and cultures, as well as provide emerging equity-seeking artists with the skills, relationships and support needed to develop public art practices. Visit the online gallery to view all artistic responses by the 2022 forum participants.
CreateSpace Public Art Forum is supported by Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts and CIBC.
