In·habit

About

From the interior of our homes to the expanses of the planet, the spaces humans inhabit shape much of our lives, and, in turn, have been massively affected by our presence. IN·HABIT explores the broad range of this topic from the dichotomy between industrialization and nature, to the various items we discard into the world, and those we can’t seem to release from our personal collections.

Joyce Crago’s work continues along the theme of the Flotsam series, wherein the artist shaped discarded refuse into elaborate and intricate still-life photographs. For In·habit Crago visited Washington, D.C. and collected discarded items from both the inauguration of President Trump and the subsequent Women’s March on Washington. While Crago’s works tell a narrative of the historical events they reference (and the current political climate in North America), they also reveal the intriguing stories that are left behind in our waste.

Marisa Gallemit tackles this theme with mixed-media sculptural work created from objects accumulated over decades of life. As the artist finds their life undergoing a massive shift, Gallemit transforms accrued and often unneeded objects (such as cowhide from family in the Philippines and old bike tube valves) into concise and measured works of art.

Kelsey McGruer incorporates traditional floral patterns into her framed collages. The artist mixes source material of various origins and texture - from old pillow fabrics to reproduction prints from second-hand stores. Reminiscent of the Arts & Crafts movement, the work references the trend of decorating the home with scenes of nature. The patterns themselves inspire a sense of nostalgia, immediately offset by their clean, contemporary presentation. 

Troy Moth’s photo-based artwork from the series Nature Merchant tells the story of a future dystopian society wherein the sole remaining form of currency is nature itself. Moth’s monochromatic images of Earth’s few remaining humans are stark, telling a story that forces the viewer to consider how our present (and ultimately finite) natural environments are used for commercial profit.

The layered photographic images of Farihah Shah juxtapose urban and natural landscapes. From the series Cityscape III, Shah combines scenes of varying locations, calling to mind the intervention and destruction of nature for our urban environments, while also recognizing the statuesque beauty of man made city structures. Shah’s work is subtle - the overlapping of images invites the viewer in to discover layer under layer.

Crago, Gallemit, McGruer, Moth and Shah explore the various environments we inhabit - reflecting their (and our) ever changing natures.

Text by Rose Ekins, Curator

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ARTIST BIOS:

Joyce Crago grew up on a farm in southwestern Ontario. In 2014, she made a mid-career change of profession from law to photography. Her motivations to understand situations and issues and, in particular, injustices, which encouraged her to study law, continue to motivate her behind a camera. Where words prove inadequate, photography now provides the means to explore her concerns about contemporary society. Her images are produced intuitively using both digital and large format film cameras. Crago recently completed her studies at the School of Photographic Arts: Ottawa.

Marisa Gallemit is an Ottawa­-based visual artist whose practice spans sculpture, assemblage and site-­specific installation. After studying film at Carleton University (Ottawa) and the New York Film Academy (NYC), her focus shifted to more three­-dimensional works, concentrating on organic forms and textures contrasted with re­-purposed materials, aspiring to make monuments to our collective and subtle human experiences.

Kelsey McGruer is an emerging multidisciplinary artist. She is a graduate from the University of Ottawa Bachelor of Fine Arts program where she specialized in photography. Kelsey is predominantly an image maker but within her body of work, she often incorporates sculpture as well as performance. 

Troy Moth spent the first few years of life living in a tent in a remote tree-planting camp on the West Coast of Canada. He loved the wild and abundant nature he grew up immersed in, but eventually the call to adventure became too much and he moved, first across Canada to the big city (Toronto), then across the world to India, to pursue a career in photography. Troy has worked for numerous commercial and editorial clients, including Urban Outfitters, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Rolling Stone, GQ and many others. He has also exhibited his work nationally in Victoria, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal as well as Internationally in New York, Kansas, Italy and Switzerland.

Farihah Shah is a 27 year old emerging photographer and visual artist originally from Edmonton, Alberta now based out of Bradford, Ontario. She has a Bachelor's in Human Resources Management from York University and a Bachelor's in Fine Arts in Photography with a minor in Integrated Media from OCAD University in Toronto, Ontario. Farihah's practice includes an array of conceptual, street, and studio photography, time-based film work,multi-media installations and performance based works that explore issues of racial identity, constructed and natural landscapes, personal and collective memory, and the ebb and flow of people in private and public spaces. Her work has been displayed in galleries in Finland, Germany and Canada.