Migraes

Abstract

MIGRAES is an exhibition of artwork that explores my paternal grandparents’ narratives through the combined lenses of migration and aesthetics. Through intuitive art making processes, I created this exhibition to interpret their Mennonite Heritage stories, retold and responded to by using printmaking techniques. The artwork and its presentation in the gallery explore the topic of ‘migratory aesthetics,’ more specifically the repeated acts of migration made in the pursuit of freedoms such as faith, language and education. Also, focused on the acquisition of land – I am interested in migrations made by families such as my own, in order to reflect and form their own culture and identity. The title of my exhibition, MIGRAES is a derivative of the term ‘migratory aesthetics.’ Exploring this topic has ultimately helped me speak to my sense of loss of identity, from which I investigate to facilitate awareness around the importance of engaging in the creation of one’s own culture. My artmaking process has involved deconstructing and reassembling materials, some combined with other objects to make collagraph plates, relief plates, viscosity prints, prints on polypropylene and/or installation pieces.