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Artwork by Hailey Guzik at the \u201cOn a Human Scale\u201d exhibition. (Desir\u00e9e Zagbai, CityNews)<\/p>\nThe 16th edition of the Montreal-based HTMlles festival is showcasing a month-long exhibition, \u201cOn a Human Scale,\u201d featuring works from artists Fili \u5468 Gibbons, Hailey Guzik, Lee Wilkins, and Nada El Omari.<\/p>\n
The festival is produced by the feminist, artist-run centre for media arts and digital culture, Ada X. The exhibition, which is curated by Dounia Bouzidi, aims to delve deeper into the experiences of people who have historically been excluded from regimes of visibility, legitimacy, and power.<\/p>\n
\u201cThinking about a time where everything is constantly changing and trying just to slow down and rethink how we do things when it comes to technology,\u201d Bouzidi said.<\/p>\n
Her practice is based on curatorial approaches informed by decolonial and diasporic perspectives. She felt inspired to become a curator because she aims to bring people back to a story and expose them to different points of view.<\/p>\n
Now, five years into her career, she feels thrilled about all the opportunities she has gotten so far.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really grateful for working with Ada and other institutions, and I feel like I\u2019m really lucky,\u201d Bouzidi said.<\/p>\n
Artwork by Hailey Guzik at the \u201cOn a Human Scale\u201d exhibition. (Desir\u00e9e Zagbai, CityNews)<\/p>\n
One of the main challenges she\u2019s faced is writing numerous proposals for exhibitions and magazines. She says that, as a curator, one has to be refused many times before getting accepted or invited. Ada X is the first exhibition space she\u2019s been invited to so far.<\/p>\n
She says a key strategy to pushing through the hardships is taking care of oneself. In the future, she hopes to have more fun projects and work with large institutions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m wishing (for) longevity,\u201d Bouzidi said. \u201cSo, like, to continue to create and write, I don\u2019t know, for 30, 40 years. We\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Artwork by Nada El Omari at the \u201cOn a Human Scale\u201d exhibition. (Desir\u00e9e Zagbai, CityNews)<\/p>\n
Interdisciplinary artist Fili \u5468 Gibbons created a piece named Cloud Well that\u2019s part of the \u201cOn a Human Scale\u201d exhibition. It centres around honouring their grandparents, who passed away a few years ago.<\/p>\n
Most of the videos and sounds people can see in the piece come from a trip Gibbons and their mother took back to Taiwan last November.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are these reflective panels and mirror images in the work that are kind of meant as a reflection for oneself or a reflection for others to think about,\u201d Gibbons said.<\/p>\n
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Fili \u5468 Gibbons\u2019 exhibit on display at \u201cOn a Human Scale.\u201d (Desir\u00e9e Zagbai, CityNews)<\/p>\n
Gibbons has been in the arts field for two-and-a-half years. They started as a cello player, and gradually, over time, they became more interested in various types of music and art.<\/p>\n
Some of the main challenges they\u2019ve faced so far is figuring out how to reach people other than their friends or community in the arts field and diversifying their funding sources.<\/p>\n
Gibbons says one of the ways they navigate those challenges is by having a strong community network.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you work hard, but you don\u2019t make it about that, and you try to make it about the joy and the connection and what matters as part of that,\u201d Gibbons said.<\/p>\n
As an interdisciplinary artist, they\u2019re interested in the connections between different kinds of material and how they interact to create a world or an experience for people.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel really good,\u201d Gibbons said. \u201cIt\u2019s like the first time we\u2019ve done a full-on installation that was really that, without any performative aspects, without any music playing. And it just stands on its own as a piece. So I feel that it\u2019s doing something with the energy and with the people (who) share the exhibit that I\u2019m very happy about, and I\u2019m very grateful for that opportunity as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Lee Wilkin\u2019s piece at \u201cOn a Human Scale.\u201d (Desir\u00e9e Zagbai, CityNews)<\/p>\n
Gibbons says their exhibition is beneficial for people who attend, as \u201cit\u2019s like a space of rest.\u201d<\/p>\n
They added that they might create more international projects in the next few years. For now, there\u2019s a project in the Philippines that they\u2019re trying to work on in 2027.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that just to try and imagine being able to make a career, to be well, to be among people, and have a support circle is, like, really, the most important thing,\u201d they said. \u201cAnd if we can travel, if we can share the work, you know, with whatever opportunity or time that life has, that\u2019s great. I think we just want to try to hold on to what we can and try to pass that on to the future, you know? That\u2019s all we got.\u201d<\/p>\n
The \u201cOn a Human Scale\u201d exhibition runs until May 30. More information can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n Add CityNews Montreal as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.<\/p>\n
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