Alex Jacobs-Blum, Artist – Hamilton
(photo: Marc LeSage)
Alex Jacobs-Blum (she/her) is a Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ (Cayuga) and German visual artist and independent curator. Her research focuses on Indigenous futurities and accessing embodied ancestral Hodinöhsö:ni’ knowledge. The core of her practice and methodology is a strong foundation in community building, fostering relationships, empowering youth, and Indigenizing institutional spaces. Her creative process is rooted in storytelling and challenging hierarchical power structures. She received a Bachelor of Photography at Sheridan College in 2015, where she was awarded the Canon Award of Excellence for Narrative Photography. Her artistic work has been exhibited at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, University of Ottawa, Woodland Cultural Centre and the Robert McLaughlin Gallery. Her curatorial projects include Ascending Horizons (2025) at the McMaster Museum of Art, In the Shadow of the Eclipse (2024) at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Treaty Girl (2024) at Longhouse Labs, University of Waterloo, and Born Celestial (2022) at Hamilton Artists Inc. She is also a member of the Bawaadan Collective. Her work is currently on display in the group exhibition (We are) of rivers, lands and skies at the Galerie d’art Louise-et-Reuben-Cohen in Moncton.
- Mountains
I’m currently in the mountains of Kelowna, BC, and I feel such a deep connection to them. Growing up in Hamilton, we were always told the escarpment was a mountain, and for the longest time, that was the biggest “mountain” I had ever seen until I came out West. I feel especially connected to the Okanagan mountains because this is where my mom made her home. When she passed, we spread her ashes in the water and the mountains, and now, I will always be tied to them. My mom also felt a deep connection to the mountains – they drew her to move from Ontario to Kelowna. I carry that same love and gratitude for them.
- The Traitors
I am obsessed with The Traitors! I have watched every season from every franchise worldwide, and honestly, life feels empty when there isn’t a new season airing. The drama, backstabbing, lying – I eat it all up, especially since my own life is so chill. Gabby Windey is my all-time favourite cast member (also loving her podcast, Long Winded). The show is dramatic, suspenseful, juicy, and absolutely hilarious. If you haven’t watched it yet, you NEED to!!! Or if you have…let’s talk!!
- A Map to the Next World by Joy Harjo
Lately, I have been reading a lot of poetry, and A Map to the Next World by Joy Harjo has been my favourite. Harjo is a Muscogee Nation writer, and she weaves her Nation’s thought systems, histories, and stories into her work, exploring cosmologies, ancestral connections, and Indigenous feminisms. Her writing has been an inspiration for my practice, offering thoughtful and hopeful perspectives on world-building. As an Indigenous woman, her poetry resonates with me. I’m excited to dive into more of her works! Recently, I started incorporating poetry into my practice alongside my photographs, and it feels like the next chapter in my work.
- Brooches
For the past few months, I have been obsessively collecting brooches! I came across someone on Instagram who covered their entire jacket and baseball hat with them, and I felt inspired to try the same. I’ve been spending a lot of time in vintage shops, hunting for the perfect pieces to add to my collection. My plan is to deck out my long black wool button-up coat and my hot pink toque with brooches. Even though spring is around the corner…I’ll be prepared for fall/ winter! I have been wanting to refresh my style for a while, and this feels like the perfect way to breathe new life into my favourite jacket.
- Burrata
Burrata with roasted tomatoes, garlic, and basil might be my favourite food. I could eat it every single day. I make it often for dinner parties, and I have been ordering it non-stop from my local bar, The Capitol, in Hamilton (my favourite spot – I highly recommend it!). If I see it on a menu, it’s an automatic yes. A few weeks ago, I had burrata four times in one week… no regrets! I love all things cheese 😆🧀