Melanie Yugo & Jason Skilz, co-directors of Possible Worlds – Ottawa
Melanie Yugo and Jason Skilz are co-founders and directors of Possible Worlds, a community-driven platform in Ottawa focused on graphic art, print, and electronic music. Together they have programmed and presented a long list of exhibitions, experimental sound events, installations, workshops, and meetups, as well as produced artist editions including prints and cassettes. In their own practices, Melanie is a Filipina-Canadian artist, educator, and researcher. Her work focuses on cultural expression and identity, diasporic storytelling, and institutional transformation, primarily through screenprinting, writing, and publishing. Jason is a DJ, sound collage artist, label owner, and music producer. He runs the Low Noise Productions cassette label and organizes the Not Normal experimental music series. Jason regularly records and performs as Transmit or as part of other local bespoke and improvised sound collaborations. Possible Worlds presents the Object//Project 2023 festival on November 17 and 18 in Ottawa.
- Artist books and zines
(Melanie) One of the first items that Jason gifted to me many years ago was an artist book, before I even knew what they were. It was The Yellow Pages by Vancouver-based artist Ho Tam. Now we’re making our own zines and artist books, and teaching others, too, including our seven-year-old niece.
- Cassette tapes
(Jason) I started collecting tapes when I was younger. Now I love making my own mix tapes and recording live sessions. Ten years ago, I started Low Noise Productions, a small cassette label that features many different international artists. The format of tapes is perfect for experimental music and sound – it’s a physical artifact that can be traded or passed on. It’s also a sort of time capsule.
- Tablescapes
(Melanie) I stumbled onto the world of tablescapes on TikTok this summer. Thrifting for unique pieces has become another creative outlet for me.
- Noise events
(Jason) I love watching and participating in live noise jams and small shows. There is an energy and randomness to them, with the sounds washing over you and the space, leaving you to fill in the narrative or storyline.
- Asian Book Club
(Melanie) My friend messaged me earlier this year asking if I wanted to join a new book club for folks of Asian descent in Ottawa. It’s been a great way to connect over food, shared heritage, and culture. We meet once every two months around a book at a different restaurant.