Come As You Are Promo
I am so happy to be sharing that I will be curating the second showing for ‘Come As You Are’. The art show will be from June 20th- June 22nd at 187 Augusta Avenue. To set the mood for curation of the art show I will be having an opening night that includes performances throughout the evening. The art show is always curated to highlight QTBIPOC. What I find so special about the opening event is that it is an intimate celebration of art, love, and support.
Throughout the night I open the floor to include the audience to speak on their truth by asking, “What does it mean to you, to be your most authentic self?” I ask this question to remind the individuals who are attending the event to understand that they are loved, and they are seen. As much as the art show and space is for the artists, it is also for our community as a whole.
Photo By @Photosbyzain
Visual Artists
Joy Ado
Joy found her passion for photography in 2007. She was the main photographer for her local neighbourhood art group called ‘Project Random’. They facilitated workshops and would travel around the GTA and take photos. She started off with scenic photos and found herself transitioning to Erotic Art, which started her Boudoir Photography, “Illest Productions”. From having her photos first published in Starbucks to now participating in gallery art shows, Joy is excited to see where this journey continues to take her.
Photo By @Briannablank
Roya Delsol
Roya DelSol is a queer Black artist, curator, cultural producer & strategist who is a settler in Tkaronto; with roots in the Afro-Caribbean diaspora. She enjoys bridging the analytical and creative, aiming for her work in all spheres to not only centre but elevate the experiences of Black, queer, and marginalized peoples. As a photographer, she has worked with clients such as NXNE, Adidas and WIPP Toronto. Roya is also the Gallery Co-ordinator at the Margin of Eras Gallery in Parkdale, a multi-disciplinary arts space dedicated to showcasing the work of new generation artists who live and work on the margins.
Wendy Vu
Wendy Vu (she/her) is a Vietnamese photographer born and raised in Toronto. She’s currently studying Film and T.V Production at Humber College and hopes to pursue filmmaking as a future career. Wendy uses photography to express a mix of inner turmoil and love. From accepting one's true identity and reclaiming one's heritage to sharing the sense of isolation and hesitation she’s felt while slowly embracing her sexuality. Wendy's work, influenced by her real-life experiences, invokes a feeling of nostalgia and reminiscence in her audience. Like a dream, you can’t seem to wake from - or don’t quite want to.
Photo By @Photosbyzain
Photo By @Pamelaloud
Brianna Roye
Brianna is a Jamaican-Canadian photographer from Toronto, Ontario, who identifies as a queer androgynous woman. Her work captures a variety of tenderness and beauty across the spectrum. Brianna uses her art as activism, as it challenges the widespread politics of the Caribbean. Her work speaks of lineage, change, beauty, and grants the queer and trans community of Toronto’s Caribbean diaspora the space to exhale. She specializes in portraiture, and music/event photography, Brianna strives to capture the unique essence of the person that she is photographing. She has worked for a number of music & art festivals, including Manifesto and Afropunk.
Jesse King
Jesse King is an emerging Aboriginal artist based in Toronto, Canada. He recently completed an undergraduate photography degree at OCAD University. Jesse is now pursuing his Master's degree in Design at York University. His work frequently explores the many facets of identity, including discussions of queerness, gender, and the importance of cultural representation and how artwork is so closely tied to the very core of culture. Jesse’s work has been exhibited internationally in Berlin, Germany and Tampere, Finland. His work has been printed in several independent publications including fashion magazines such as Wonderland Magazine.
Photo By @Joshuac.rille
Bianca Roco
Bianca Roco is an artist from the Philippines living in Toronto. Her life-size figurative work of women explores themes of intimacy, isolation, displacement and sexuality.
James Yeboah
James Yeboah is a Ghanian- Canadian visual artist born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario. His work touches on issues revolving around the black community such as mental health, anti- black violence, toxic masculinity, and the difficulties in being a part of the African diaspora. James attempts to touch on these topics with his work to improve communication and to mend relationships within the black community. His work is also very introspective, as it functions as a meditation on how he can be a better member of his community, to effectively inspire change.
Photo By @Royadelsol
PERFORMERS
Photo By @Harshiyatheva
Shaili Champ
Music has always been an important part of Shaili’s life. When she immigrated to Canada at a young age, she heavily relied on music to learn English and to get through first generational struggles. Shaili passionately believes in the power of music for storytelling and creating social change; to raise awareness and offer new perspectives for social issues. She hopes that through her music, she will initiate important conversations and raise questions about the world we live in. Shaili is determined to play a part in creating equality for women, for LGBTQ, and for POC. Her music is truly unique to who Shaili is as an individual. She blends who she is into it: a dash of South Asian, a sprinkle of consciousness, and a pinch of savage.
Savannah Taylor
Savannah Taylor is a Brampton-based singer-songwriter. Her music bridges the sonic nuances of neo-soul, boom bap and r&b with the raw storytelling of early jazz and blues. With the release of her debut EP “Supernova ”, it’s clear that her music is a catalyst for learning who she is and creating meaningful projects that her audience can reflect on.
Photo By @Angelynsayshi
Photo By @Maytruong_photography
Angelo Luu
Angelo Luu is a disabled, queer, and emerging multidisciplinary artist and performer. Their poetry focuses a lot around trauma, disability, and the struggle they experience living in a body that doesn’t belong to themselves. Living with Dissociative Identity Disorder, their goal is to write, perform, and share their truth in hopes of de-stigmatizing the lesser known mental health disorders that don’t get spoken about. Currently, they are working on a play, seeking new opportunities to perform, all while continuing to let the world inspire new writing pieces every day.
R Flex
R. Flex carved out a name for themself within the indie r&b scene in Toronto. You can try to classify their sound as “R&B”, “soul”, “electronic”, “trap”, “ambient”, “hip hop”, among others. No matter how you choose to label it, their approach is genuinely fresh and transcends classification. Their style has been influenced by artists like Kelela, Tinashe, and FKA Twigs. R. Flex employs their songwriting and vocals to storytelling heights. R. Flex sets the mic on fire with a voice backed up by pure heart.
Photo By @Briannablank
Yara El Safi
Yara El Safi is a queer, Lebanese, Muslim artist born in Abu Dhabi and raised in Tripoli, Lebanon. Her art ranges from painting, illustrating, writing poetry, and performing as a burlesque dancer. Yara’s art attempts to create a dialogue with the feelings of displacement, immigration, and the preservation of traditions. She is a burlesque dancer, performer and artist that explores the world of fantasy and seduction. Her stage presence while preforming as a burlesque dancer speaks volumes to reclaiming her body and, owning who she is as a queer, Lebanese, Muslim woman.
Rochelle David
Rochelle David is a genderqueer multidisciplinary artist born in Trinidad. Their work centres around coming terms with the hard parts of life and learning how to be their best selves. Rochelle’s goal is to make poetry that puts people in their feelings and allows them to reflect and grow. Their art ranges on topics from love to death and pushes people to ask themselves who they are and why.
Photo By @Naskademini
Vendor
Photo By @Royadelsol
HAND BEADED JEWELRY BY KEISHA ERWIN
Keisha (Wapahkesis) is a Non-Binary Afro-Indigenous youth living in Tkaronto. They are Nihithaw (Woods Cree from treaty 6) and Jamaican. They are an amateur filmmaker and beader. Keisha’s jewellery ranges from $20 and up.
