[acc-cca-l] request to share event with CCA listserv - McMaster University's Communications, New Media, and Cultural Studies Program: Event with Syrus Marcus Ware, Ravyn Wngs, and Dr. Jenna Reid

Wed May 12 08:15:40 MDT 2021

[△EXTERNAL]

Please join the Communication, New Media, and Cultural Studies PhD 1 Cohort at their mini-symposium entitled “Doing the Work: Art & Activism in Action.”

Date and Time: Thursday, May 20th, 2021 from 1:30-3:30pm.

Roundtable Dialogue with Q&A to follow with speakers:
Syrus Marcus Ware
Ravyn Wngs
Dr. Jenna Reid

Syrus Marcus Ware Syrus is a Vanier Scholar, visual artist, activist, curator and educator. Syrus is an Assistant Professor at the School of the Arts, McMaster University.  Syrus uses drawing, installation and performance to explore social justice frameworks and black activist culture. His work has been shown widely, including in a solo show at Grunt Gallery, Vancouver (2068:Touch Change) and new work commissioned for the 2019 Toronto Biennial of Art and the Ryerson Image Centre (Antarctica and Ancestors, Do You Read Us? (Dispatches from the Future)) and in group shows at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Art Gallery of York University, the Art Gallery of Windsor and as part of the curated content at Nuit Blanche 2017 (The Stolen People; Wont Back Down).  His performance works have been part of festivals across Canada, including at Cripping The Stage (Harbourfront Centre, 2016, 2019), Complex Social Change (University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, 2015) and Decolonizing and Decriminalizing Trans Genres (University of Winnipeg, 2015). He is part of the PDA (Performance Disability Art) Collective and co-programmed Crip Your World: An Intergalactic Queer/POC Sick and Disabled Extravaganza as part of Mayworks 2014. Syrus' recent curatorial projects include That’s So Gay (Gladstone Hotel, 2016-2019), Re:Purpose (Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 2014) and The Church Street Mural Project (Church-Wellesley Village, 2013). Syrus is also co-curator of The Cycle, a two-year disability arts performance initiative of the National Arts Centre. Syrus is a core-team member of Black Lives Matter- Toronto. Syrus is a co-curator of Blackness Yes!/Blockorama. Syrus has won several awards, including the TD Diversity Award in 2017. Syrus was voted “Best Queer Activist” by NOW Magazine (2005) and was awarded the Steinert and Ferreiro Award (2012). Syrus is an ABD PhD candidate at York University in the Faculty of Environmental Studies. He is the co-editor or the best-selling Until We Are Free: Reflections on Black Lives Matter in Canada (URP, 2020)

Ravyn Wngz “The Black Widow of Burlesque '' is a Tanzanian, Bermudian, Mohawk, 2Spirit, empowerment movement storyteller of Trans experience. An abolitionist, and Black Renaissance Artivist. Her work is rooted in Black liberation and Indigenous Resurgence. She has a vision to create work/art/conversations that open minds, expand truths and deepen intellectual commitments into lived practices.  Her commitment is to elevate our collective global humanity.  Ravyn is a co-founder of ILL NANA/DiverseCity Dance Company. A Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter Canada, A steering committee member of Black Lives Matter Toronto, A Canadian Best Selling Author and Co-Curator of The Wildseed Black Arts Fellowship.  She is a graduate of the School Of Toronto Dance Theatre, Has trained with American Ballet Theatre, United Dance Productions(Bermuda), University Of The ARTS Philadelphia, and Duke Ellington Performing Arts High School(Washington D.C.). She has performed and collaborated with Keith Hennesy(Guggenheim Fellowship Recipient) InDance, Xing Dance Theatre, Earth In Motion, Ballet Creole, Ontario Ballet Theatre, Brandy Leary, Ame Henderson, Jefferson Pinder(Chicago), Victoria Mata and d’bi. young anitafrica (Watah Theatre) recently took part in the Luminato Festival inaugural Black Arts Residency 2020. Stratford Festival Emerging Artist Award 2020. Top25 Women of influence in Canada recipient. She recently premiered as lead Actor, in Obsidian Theatre and CBC Gem’s 21 Black futures.

Dr. Jenna Reid (she/her) is the current Artistic Director at Kickstart Disability Arts & Culture.  Jenna is a fibre artist who works primarily with the practices of quilting and natural dyes as a way to engage with activist based aesthetics. Throughout the spring, summer, and fall of 2020, Jenna has worked alongside prominent social movements in Toronto creating large scale banners and pennants to creatively activate messages for racial justice and radical change. Jenna has completed a residency on Toronto Island with the Feminist Art Conference, and has exhibited her work and presented on panels in Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia. Jenna’s studio work explores inter-institutional violence informed by the histories of queer, feminist, Deaf, disability, and mad movement organizing. With a studio based PhD in Critical Disability Studies at York University, Jenna’s teaching and research specializes in the emergent field of Mad Studies. Jenna has published in The Journal of Literary and Cultural Disability Studies, Canadian Art, Intersectionalities: A Global Journal of Social Work Analysis, Research, Policy, and Practice, Journal of Progressive Human Services, and Studies in Social Justice.

Sign up for Eventbrite through this link: https://tinyurl.com/mac-cnmcs21
(Zoom link will be circulated closer to the event via email).

Doing the Work: Art & Activism in Action

The pandemic has quickly become the most pressing and constant issue in contemporary news media. The coronavirus’ impact on daily life, politics, economics, and culture are profound.  Further, the pandemic has exacerbated circumstances of inequality and has revealed how the most vulnerable groups are disproportionately affected.

How has the COVID-19 pause shifted perceptions of; Dis/ability, Divergence, Racism / Anti-Racism within the political and social state of Canada. How is this informed by the US presidential elections, Black Lives Matter protests in response to police brutality and murder in Canada, Indigenous resistance movements, and anti-Asian racism.
●      That folks with disabilities have lost or limited access to care?
●      That mental health issues have exponentially grown or worsened?
●      How have media depictions of COVID-19 related news shaped social relations and reactions to the pandemic?
●      How have art and activism been impacted by COVID-19 & media landscape?
●      Where do artistic and activist interventions on social media or in news media interrupt mainstream pandemic messaging?
●      What role does art and activism play in the way we culturally process and adapt to the new normal?
●      How do art and activist practices interrupt, challenge, and inform what a new normal ought to look like?

Event will be live-captioned via Zoom
Please contact holtzsce at mcmaster.ca<mailto:holtzsce at mcmaster.ca> with any questions or concerns

Poster Photo Credits:
Syrus Marcus Ware (photo credit: Jalani Morgan)
Ravyn Wngz (photo credit: Jackie Brown Photography)
Dr. Jenna Reid (photo credit: Cat O'Neil)

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