“Nesreen

Nesreen Galal

Visual Arts

loss of identity

Dimensions vary

Installation, Video Art + Performance

2023

Description:

Nesreen Galal is an interdisciplinary artist based in Montreal. Her work mostly centers on notions of identity, memory, the surreal, the uncanny. Additionally, she uses art as a vessel to critique colonial discourse, orientalism, capitalism and the cisgender male gaze. She presents these themes through a diverse variety of mediums, from cyanotype, to salt printing, to lumen print, anthotype, collage, to experimental photography and to filmmaking. Her short film, “Loss of Identity”, was screened in Montreal’s first BIPOC Film Festival in the summer of 2021. Her work has been internationally featured in magazines such as Luna Collective Magazine and Sunstroke Magazine, and she has had the opportunity to showcase her work locally at the likes of VAV Gallery, Eastern Bloc, Livart, Atelier Galerie 2112 and Somewhere Gallery. Recently, she has been focused on photography and printmaking with chemical ingredients. Nesreen is currently in her final fourth year, double majoring in Computation & Studio Arts, as she has a passion for blending both analogue and digital mediums.

Loss of identity 3.0 stems from my personal journey as I grappled with identity confusion. This installation delves into the interplay of various emotional layers, facial expressions, and the act of masking to conform to societal norms. The concept of masking involves concealing or omitting parts of oneself to present a socially acceptable image. My struggles with ADHD (ADHD masking), imposter syndrome and general challenges with fitting in, coupled with my mixed background as a marginalized queer Arab, led me to explore art as a therapeutic process. I crafted masks, one of which symbolizes my  younger self, complete with the hair highlights I recall to have once favored. Another mask, adorned with fragmented mirrors, represents the idea of a fractured self-image. Additionally, I produced four 3D-printed masks of myself showcasing different expressions. The intention was to establish a disconnect between the audience and the performer, fostering a voyeuristic experience. To achieve this, I incorporated CCTV cameras, evoking a sense of surveillance akin to a security guard monitoring screens for potential intruders or threats. By deliberately concealing my face, I aimed to question the concept of true self, highlighting the inherent challenge of understanding one’s feelings and thoughts. After all, my internal mental processes remain inaccessible to others. The theatrical appeal and use of masks and performance addresses a heavy topic while exploring notions of play in my work.

“Alina

Alina Chamro

Painting and Drawing

Game Start

18″ x 15″

sand sculpture

2023

Description:

Alina Chamro is a Painting and Drawing major who has a background in finance and real estate. She recently returned to university to pursue her childhood dream of creating art. Through this degree, she is regaining her foothold in her own life, and she feels as if is rediscovering her true self. This sculpture acts as an ambiguous relic, frozen in time  between the era of technological advances and of the world apocalypse. This sculpture of a game controller made of sand, which in of itself is related to notions of time through the hourglass, leaves viewers with questions rather than answers. It becomes ambiguous whether it was crafted in ancient times or if it is a greeting from the distant future warning us of a possible catastrophe.  The use of sand creates an interactive element for viewers. Audience members are confronted with choices when observing this controller; they could feel it and touch the sand, imagine stepping on it; and see the cracks and a fallen piece off the shape, uncovering inside of the sand casket a modern game controller.

Childhood Quilt

40×30 in

acrylic paints and graphite pencil

2023

“Alina

Description:

In Childhood Quilt, two images are juxtaposed against one-another. The large colourful background contrasts the smaller graphite figure. The bright landscape is a representation of my childhood memories, which often incorporated my mother’s hobby of making quilts. For me, this echoes the warm feeling of the intimate world of my inner child. The bird’s eye perspective recalls my childhood dreams of flying over the land, where there were no existing limits. The varying scale and elephants echo childlike dreams. The quilt represents a sense of home, as it is comforting and it symbolizes a safe place. The figure, representing an adult, is isolated from the rest of the image and devoid of any colours. We do not see his face, thus his emotions are uncertain. Perhaps he is sad, perhaps he’s wondering, or perhaps he is simply watching. Perhaps, the viewer is left to question the storyline, thus creating our own narrative. 


“Jenna

Jenna Wilson

Visual Arts

A Dream

Dimensions vary

Digital drawing, photography, wool sculpting

2023

Description:

Jenna Wilson is a visual artist interested in exploring the ties between nature, climate, and femininity through painting and sculptures. Considering how we respond to nature, and situate ourselves within it, is an important part of her practice. She is interested in depicting organic forms in an abstracted representation while incorporating ideas of feminine objects/presence within a natural landscape. Their practice involves not only traditional oil paints and soft sculptures, but ceramics and fibers as well. The helmet and chainmail garment were typically worn in Medieval wars. By wearing this historical garment, I am reinterpreting the act of fighting in a war, which is a very sobering experience. Instead  of being a depiction of an actual war, I decided to use these elements to revive the childlike wonders embedded in creative play. The wearable pieces are documented in an imaginary landscape drawing. The wearer, within this dream-like space, creates art through their actions in the drawing.

Compost Fungi_01

Compost Fungi_02

Compost Fungi_03

Compost Fungi_04

Julia Monaco 

4th Year, Major in Art Education 

Compost Fungi 

14” x 9” x 8”

Unfired Earthenware Clay 

2020

Artist Statement:

The word interaction means to affect or influence on another. There is no greater example of interaction beyond the interactions which are naturally occurring. The ephemeral project Compost Fungi aims to explore the interaction between fungi and the ecosystem. Often overlooked, fungi are responsible for breaking down organic matter. Fungi provides carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen to soil, similar to the common elements needed to produce clay. By using unfired clay, a compostable material directly connected to the earth, I was able to create a work that produced no additional waste and will eventually return to the ground where its life can restart.

Description:

Compost Fungi aims to highlight the importance of fungi within the ecosystem. Often overlooked, fungi are responsible for breaking down organic matter. Fungi provide carbon, oxygen and nitrogen to soil, similar to the common elements needed to produce clay. By using unfired clay, a compostable material directly connected to the earth, I was able to create a work which produced no additional waste and will eventually return to the ground where its cycle of life can restart. 

Overall, the inspiration for this project began by reflecting on the amount of organic waste produced in a singular household and frequenting local hiking trails. While frequenting local hiking trails, I began to take note of recurring actions, such as fungi emerging from decomposing trees or emerging from rotting foliage. This ultimately led me to question where else fungi thrive. Upon further research it became clear that fungi were also present in compost, mainly in the form of Mycelium. 

Since fungi present themselves in compost, I thought it would be relevant to create a sculptural installation on a compost bin showcasing the different types of fungi that may typically grow on rotting or decomposing organic waste. Upon completion of the sculpture, the unfired piece decomposed and returned to the compost bin with other organic waste collected throughout the duration of the project creation.