Advocacy Coalition Mural

Subjects: I would approach the Queens coalition group towards finding students who might be interested in being in the photo. If recruiting participants this way is not possible, other outreach options would ensue.

Photography: One of the main features is for a photograph to be taken of the subjects in the environment. A professional photographer would be hired to take the photos. I have worked with photographers such as Ebti Nabag, and Toni Hafkensheid, whose work is show here as an example of the kind of image that will be displayed. I am in contact with other photographers from the QTBIPOC community for this project.

Background: A red bricked background is shown in the mock-up, but other possible backgrounds such as the brickwork on the Isabel Bader Centre or the historic limestone architecture at Queens could be used.

Lines: The simple construction of wire/lines are used to focus attention on specific areas. These elements reminiscent of windows, direct attention, reveal, mark and highlight present presents. They bring a design element into the photo and graphically connect the students to the landscape. Both covering and revealing simultaneously, the lines create a digital mapping. Enlivened with a neon glow together these features bring a sense of energy and life to the image

Vision: My proposed concept explores the themes of perception and perspective. Through the use of optical illusion. abstract geometry, patterns and graphic elements, the piece explores the idea that we all have different points of view and see things differently as a result. The patterns reference African textile traditions, while remaining abstract and nonspecific. By combining multiple images and effects, my aim is to create a vast, multifaceted image which allows the audience to find something new with every visit to the building. An additional layer of interactivity is added via Augmented Reality. Using either Spark AR or Artivive, the various patterns, geometric elements and illusions can come to life, moving over time, stretching, bending and becoming even more illusory. Each square animates uniquely as the camera is pointed at it. The aim is both to create a feeling of calm, grounded power and to remind people to always question their own perceptions, biases and positions, and extend empathy to others who may see things differently.

Vision: We! is a mural made considering the QBACC's mission to hold space and celebrate those who are constantly fighting to be considered and receive equal treatment. The composition is offered as a visually grounding antidote/cheerleader/resting point/talisman to those systematically erased and misrepresented in cultural narratives.

We! is inspired by the collected comments from the QBACC open house meeting. After reading the feedback I realised just how important it is to the community to be seen and represented in a less abstracted way than I originally proposed. In consideration of the comments I have reworked my plan. This is my work-in-progress sketch! It is work in progress as I would like to include the community in creating the final work. The background we see is the waterfront of historic Kingston. In the the work we see inhabitants of Queen's university and Kingston. For these portraits I would like to do a call out to the community of Kingston/QBACC/Queen's University and create portraits of anyone who is comfortable with my inaccurate portraiture of them to include in the mural. My call for portraiture subjects will include humans and non-humans, ghosts, trees, animal friends, mixed emotions, all the elements and participants of the local ecology.

The title We! references the Civil Rights Movement. The composition, spirit and intention is inspired by QTBIPOC artists and freedom fighters from across the ages. Community is everything!