Artwork Highlighting the Newcomer Journey on Display at Nocturne
Art lit up the night on Saturday, October 19, as Nocturne Art at Night took place across Halifax and Downtown Dartmouth. Sister exhibitions Embed & Embody and Adorn were on display at the Anna Leonowens Gallery in Downtown Halifax and featured works created by several members of the ISANS community. Over the past six months, newcomers worked in partnership with The Art Factory (NSCAD University), NOISEmakers (Nocturne) and ISANS to create these engaging and heartfelt exhibits.
About Embed & Embody:
For 11-weeks, 10 youth from the Halifax newcomer community worked with professional artists and NSCAD student facilitators, investigating self-expression through material exploration. Artist participants were guided through a process of identifying personal images and text. These personal themes were then used as the basis to design fabric, and were further explored in metal and concrete to create unique jewelry pieces. Each week participants explored new techniques such as mould making, carving and stamping into metal and concrete and rubber, and sewing and garment construction. They also experimented with surface design using spray paint, embroidery and screen printing.
The resulting fashion and jewellery pieces reflect their individual stories as wearable art. Both the creation process and final pieces were photo-documented by Wiebke Schroeder. This exhibition uses photography as a tool for composition, bringing together the artist/maker/story-teller with their wearable pieces.
About Adorn:
This summer ISANS collaborated with the Nocturne NOISEmakers Program (Newcomer Opportunities and Impactful, Site-Specific [arts based] Experiences Program) to present a series of community outdoor art workshops for newcomers and immigrants. These workshops took place in Glen Garden, and were designed around the idea of adornment: adornment of oneself and adornment of one’s community. Participants created unique print, textile and jewellery-based artworks in collaboration with artist facilitators Charley Young, Leslie Menagh, Nika Feldman, Kim Paquet, Jill Barker, and Art Bikers.
About Nocturne:
Each year, Nocturne celebrates the visual arts scene in our community and is put on largely by volunteers. This year the theme was SCAFFOLD, which embraced the change and growth of the Halifax Regional Municipality to reimagine the city with new materials, new ideas, and a sense of humour. Artists explored how temporary structures are used to make a larger commentary on the social, physical and political structures that shape our lives.
