Whess Harman Explained

Nationality:Carrier Wit'at
Website:https://www.whessharman.com
Awards:BC Arts Council, Early Development Grant; Radical Indigenous Survivance and Empowerment (R.I.S.E) Collective, Fellowship; First People's Cultural Council, Indigenous Arts Program, Mentorship at grunt gallery
Alma Mater:Emily Carr University of Art and Design
Education:Bachelor of Fine Arts
Whess Harman
Birth Place:Prince Rupert, BC

Whess Harman is an artist and curator based in what is colonially known as Vancouver, British Columbia. They are most known for their beading and zine work, including their Potlach Punk series and their Together Apart Zine series.[1]

Biography

Whess Harman is a trans/non-binary person from the Carrier Wit'at Nation (known under Canadian government as part of the Lake Babine Nation), born in what is known as Prince Rupert, BC.[2] [3] In 2014, Harman obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Emily Carr University of Art and Design.[4]

Career

Whess Harman is a multidisciplinary artist whose work ranges in media. Their practice includes beading, illustration, design, text, and curation.[5] Since obtaining their BFA from Emily Carr University, Harman has participated in and curated a variety of exhibitions across Turtle Island and Norway.

Much of their work uses humour or wordplay, and references their Indigenous existence and heritage, as well as their involvement in the punk music scene.[6] One of Harman's most comprehensive current projects is Together Apart. [7] The project began from a symposium event, loosely based on grunt gallery's Two-Spirit cabaret's from the early 1990s.[8] Together Apart now centres around a fluctuating collective of Indigiqueer and/or Two-Spirit artists. As a part of this project, the Together Apart Zine was created and now has seven published volumes.[9] As a continuation of this work, a podcast led by Indigenous writers and creators is currently in the works.[10]

In 2020, Harman designed a "Land Back" sewn patch, which they sold multiples of in order to raise money for organizations and legal funds that support Indigenous land defenders. The "Land Back" patch was also used in a collaboration with musical group The Halluci Nation as the cover for a song with the same title.[11]

In January 2021, Harman was announced as the new Curator for grunt gallery, after having been involved with grunt as a curatorial assistant.[12] Through grunt gallery, and independently as well, they have curated a variety of projects, including Spark: Fireside Artist Talks,[13] and, most recently, Human Nature - Last Supper for the Capture Photography Festival in collaboration with InTransit BC.[14]

Selected exhibitions

Works

Notes and References

  1. https://canadianart.ca/interviews/a-conversation-with-whess-harman-the-new-curator-at-grunt-gallery/ [candianart magazine, 2021]
  2. Web site: Whess Harman www.g101.ca. 2021-03-26. g101.ca.
  3. Web site: first nations grunt gallery. 2021-03-26. grunt.ca.
  4. Web site: Website. Emily Carr University. Communications. Emily Carr. Canada. 2019-10-15. indingenous artists only exhibition event. 2021-03-23. www.ecuad.ca. en.
  5. Web site: QUEERSPHERE Exhibition and Artist Bios InterAccess. 2021-03-24. interaccess.org.
  6. Web site: Wrinch. Jasper D.. Whess Harman. 2021-03-26. CiTR Discorder Magazine. en-US.
  7. Web site: 2019-09-15. Together Apart, Queer Indigeneities. 2021-03-26. C Magazine Issue 143 Page 63. en.
  8. Web site: Together Apart grunt gallery. 2021-03-26. grunt.ca.
  9. Book: Artexte. Together Apart : Queer Indigeneities // Vol. 1 : Intentions. 2019. Together Apart Zine. Whess Harman, Ostoro Petahtegoose, Lacie Burning. [Vancouver, British Columbia]. en.
  10. Web site: Huard. Adrienne. A Conversation with Whess Harman, the New Curator at grunt gallery – Canadian Art. 2021-03-26. canadianart.ca.
  11. Web site: Moscufo. Michela. For These Indigenous Artists 'Land Back' Is Both A Political Message And A Fundraising Opportunity. 2021-03-24. Forbes. en.
  12. Web site: Huard. Adrienne. A Conversation with Whess Harman, the New Curator at grunt gallery – Canadian Art. 2021-03-24. canadianart.ca.
  13. Web site: Spark: Fireside Artist Talks grunt gallery. 2021-03-24. grunt.ca.
  14. Web site: Human Nature – Last Supper. 2021-03-24. Capture Photography Festival. en-CA.
  15. Web site: QUEERSPHERE InterAccess . 2021-03-26 . interaccess.org.
  16. Web site: LAND BACK Open Space . 2021-03-26 . www.openspace.ca.
  17. Web site: Art Crawl, Night of Indigenous Devs, and Interactive Works . 2021-03-26 . imagineNATIVE . en-US.
  18. Web site: Website . Emily Carr University . Communications . Emily Carr . Canada . 2019-10-15 . indingenous artists only exhibition event . 2021-03-23 . www.ecuad.ca . en.
  19. Web site: Galleri Nord-Norge FESTSPILLUTSTILLINGEN 2019: NATIVE@HOME . 2021-03-26 . gallerinn.no.
  20. Web site: aceart inc. Oneself, and one another . 2021-03-26 . www.aceart.org.
  21. Web site: Language of Puncture www.g101.ca . 2021-03-26 . g101.ca.

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