Photos by Kayla Isomura
Through the discography of her band Puzzlehead featuring music videos such as Rock$lut, interdisciplinary artist and musician Katayoon described her process of world building. Previous projects such as the P.L.U.R.O.M.A. runway shows and Liquidation World storefront act as a manifestation of alternate realities, brought to life by envisioning the commercial potentials of these narratives. Referencing the work of anthropologist and anarchism activist David Graeber, Katayoon’s Fellowship is culminating into an exploration of the effect of administration and bureaucracy on spirituality and community rituals.
When asked about the significance of reconfiguring physical space in projects like Liquidation World, which temporarily transformed a soon-to-be demolished warehouse into an art store, she refers to the surrender of being fixated on a space, idea, or concept as a ”political metaphor.”
“It’s hard for me to jolt out of the kind of conditioning that makes things I find unnatural seem natural, so [rearranging] space is a strong tool for me to recondition my mind to not accept walls where they are.”
Photos by Kayla Isomura
In conversation with artist Douglas Watt, friend and former classmate at Simon Fraser University, Lauren shared insights into both the conceptual and the technical aspects of her painting practice. Revolved around Indigeneity, from the symbolism and romanticism in her subjects to the physicality of the research and art-making process, she drew examples from recent exhibitions at University of Lethbridge, Liquidation World, and Macaulay & Co.
“I want my paintings to feel like a question mark,” said Lauren, “There are so many different directions they could take.”
Photos by Kayla Isomura
Christian’s talk offered poetic introspection into their practice across paintings, publications and curation, centred around immigration and diaspora. Working with water-soluble materials in their paintings, their use of water “as a trope in both migrant narratives and personal and familiar histories” offered spaciousness to think through abstraction and poetry. Christian also spoke to a previous project co-curated with Aubin Soonhwan Kwon titled dreams comma delta, a room and DIY space for artist projects and exhibitions located inside their family home in Ladner, BC—emphasizing the importance of collaboration in their work.
“Collaborating with other people allows me to think about the lineage of decisions and consequences in my work differently. It situates myself in place—it’s a way to think about a place and the complication of one’s positionality.”
The 221A Fellowship program is an 18-month studio-placement award at 825 Pacific Street. With a focus on artists from historically excluded communities, the program provides three artists each with a studio space, a $72,000 CAD stipend, and a $10,000 CAD project funding to activate online and in-person cultural outputs—making it one of the most generous studio-placement awards in Canada.
221A would like to thank the BC Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, and City of Vancouver for their generous support.
221A provided on-site childcare with the support of Pacific Immigrant Resource Society (PIRS)—a longtime dream of 221A Head of Finance, Michelle Fu since the start of the organization.
“Childcare offers invaluable support, allowing parents to fully engage with the Fellows’ work and connect worry-free with their community,” said Michelle. “Not only does childcare make programs more inclusive for families, but PIRS’ services also support immigrant and refugee women through childcare training and employment.”