Toronto History Museums Celebrates Pride with Artist Mentorship Showcase

Various Dates, June 23 – October 28, 2023

Consider self-identity and reclaiming ownership with a showcase of visual artworks at Toronto History Museums that disrupts, discovers and displays narratives of the 2SLGBTQ+ community through the Artist Mentorship Showcase: Pride with Ashley McKenzie-Barnes.

Artist Mentorship Showcase: Pride with Ashley McKenzie-Barnes, courtesy of the City of Toronto

On view from June 23, the showcase is led by acclaimed curator and creative director Ashley McKenzie-Barnes, who mentored a group of 10 local emerging and mid-career artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of colour in a ground-breaking 12-month mentorship program. The participating artists were given the freedom to create self-directed works, resulting in a collection of unique and diverse pieces at all 10 of the Toronto History Museum sites.

Artist Mentorship Showcase: Gélédé Queens by Destinie Adélakun, The Market Gallery

The showcase includes artworks by Amplify Collective, Destinie Adélakun, Diana Contreras Cabanas, Eric Chengyang, HAUI, Kunal Ranchod, Megha Parhar, Sophie Stiquée, Steven Beckly and The Sun IRL.

These artists specialize in contemporary art, design and interdisciplinary practices and respond to anti-colonialism, anti-oppression, and anti-racism. Each project highlights the varied perspectives and experiences of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Artist Mentorship Showcase: (UN)TOLD by Amplify Collective, Mackenzie House

Showcase Lineup:

• Pause IRL by The Sun IRL at Todmorden Mills until July 2, 2023
• Private Flowers by HAUI at Fort York until July 2, 2023
• Homorisiens by Sophie Stiquée at Zion Schoolhouse until July 9, 2023
• Nine Yards by Kunal Ranchod at Spadina Museum until July 23, 2023
• Flora, Luna-Corona 团花·月華 by Eric Chengyang at Gibson House Museum until July 30, 2023
• Pride Calavera by Diana Contreras Cabanas at Colborne Lodge until July 30, 2023
• (UN)TOLD by Amplify Collective at Mackenzie House until July 30, 2023
• Portraits of Absence by Megha Parhar at Scarborough Museum until August 6, 2023
• Root of the Tongue by Steven Beckly at Montgomery’s Inn until August 27, 2023
• Gélédé Queens by Destinie Adélakun at The Market Gallery until October 28, 2023

Artist Mentorship Showcase: Private Flowers by HAUI, Fort York National Historic Site

Toronto History Museums are a group of 10 museums owned and operated by the City of Toronto with the mission to collect, preserve, research, interpret, exhibit and enhance the understanding of Toronto’s diverse stories through engaging and exciting experiences and different perspectives.

Toronto History Museums include Colborne Lodge, Fort York National Historic Site, Gibson House Museum, Mackenzie House, Market Gallery, Montgomery’s Inn, Scarborough Museum, Spadina Museum, Todmorden Mills and Zion Schoolhouse.

The Artist Mentorship Showcase is sponsored by TD Bank Group, partnered with Pride Toronto and media partner 106.5 ELMNT FM Toronto.

Additional programming during Pride Month at Toronto History Museums include:

Write for Pride at Market Gallery
In this workshop, explore through journaling what it means to embrace who we are, express our hearts’ desires and honour our bodies as whole, loving, and creative beings we truly are. Write for Pride is led by Jenn Forgie (www.jennforgie.com) and pre-registration is required. Contact todmorden@toronto.ca or 416-396-2819 to register, and pay what you can at the workshop venue: Market Gallery, 95 Front Street East (St. Lawrence Market), 2nd Floor on June 28 and 29, from 5 to 7 pm.

Queer Tamil Collective’s ஊர் (Oor) Exhibition at the Scarborough Museum
Scarborough Museum hosts the Queer Tamil Collective’s ஊர் (Oor) Exhibition that explores the question of belonging amidst the challenges of displacement through war, colonialism, caste violence and queerphobia. View a curated selection of sculptures, textiles, paintings, portraits and videos by 12 Queer Tamil artists from across the globe. Learn more.

Contact: tohistorymuseums@toronto.ca

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