By Rebecca Gruszka, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Halton Black History Awareness Society’s (HBHAS) Seventh Annual Emancipation Art Exhibition, featuring the work of more than 24 artists, is on now until to September 15 at Halton Hills’ Helson Gallery, with the theme “Celebrating Freedom.”
This year’s exhibition kick-off event will take place on Aug. 4 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the gallery.
The exhibit, as HBHAS describes on their website, allows participants to “meet a number of exquisite Canadian Black Artists and experience their artistry of love, bondage, beauty, family, and expression in illustrating their Emancipation.”
Dennis Scott, the chair of the HBHAS, writes in exhibition description material, that the team at HBHAS is focused on “eradicating racism and inequality and educating the public on Canadian Black History and culture dynamics” by celebrating Emancipation Day, which honours the 1834 emancipation of enslaved people in Canada.
Scott also says that the exhibit helps promote local Black artists, attracts tourists, and works toward the progression of the HBHAS mandate, around cultural education, integration, and representation. From the artists’ perspective, participation in the HBHAS Emancipation Exhibit allows them increased visibility in the local community, to further their own career goals.
Paul Dias is a Jamaican artist whose piece Bruckins is displayed in the exhibit. He shared that his artistic journey started as a high schooler in Jamaica but was put on hold as he raised his family. The break in Dias’ artistic practice changed when he met his wife; inspired by her prolific talent, he started painting again in 2005 and hasn’t stopped.
Since his arrival in Canada in 2010, Dias’ art has been displayed across Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Guelph, in the Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre, Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre, and the Art Gallery of Burlington, amongst others. He has also twice participated in the Burlington Fine Arts Association’s juried show called “The Artist’s Mark.”
Dias finds inspiration in his 35 years of growing up and living in Jamaica, in his family, and in his religion. Inspiration for him comes especially from Jamaica’s culturally significant music and dancing, what Dias calls, “the passions of our people.”
Dias shared he was motivated to participate in the HBHAS Emancipation Art Exhibit because as an older Jamaican, he has experienced many years of the Black struggle for true emancipation, and art “provides me with an outlet to showcase my impressions of that struggle.” For Bruckins, Dias found photographs of the kind of cultural activities he experienced as a child in Jamaica, and painted his impressions of them.
Dias notes that his involvement with HBHAS over the last three years has “truly increased my sensitivity and appreciation for the progress my people have made,” something that he previously took for granted.
Alongside the deeply-important visibility that participating in the Emancipation Exhibition brings, Dias believes the value of the project lies in providing an opportunity for patrons to experience his perspective of emancipation, alongside the perspective of the other Black artists involved. He also hopes that some people “might become inspired, and commence their own artistic journey” upon viewing the exhibit.
Kat Lindo is another artist whose work is included in the exhibition, marking her second time participating in HBHAS’ Emancipation Art Exhibition. She is a “proud interracial queer artist” from Oshawa and graduated with honours from the Fine Art Advanced program at Durham College in 2019. Her artwork has been displayed at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa’s City Hall, and Whitby’s Station Gallery.
Lindo shares that her creations are inspired by personal experience, controversial history, and taboo conversations. She is also inspired to create art that tells a story, non-fiction or fictional, to make a connection with her audience.
She believes that thinking about leaving a legacy is important because it reminds us of those who came before us, and how those who come afterward may reflect on what we leave behind. For artists, that means that future viewers may see something different in the art of today, but Lindo finds power in expression through different mediums of art. She is hoping that participating in the exhibition will allow her project opportunities to grow and expand her art in the world — and hopefully bring in more clients.
Lindo appreciates being involved in community projects, because it “creates opportunities to open doors on taboo conversations, learning more educational ways to improve for a better world.”
Exhibition curator Francesca Durham says that she hopes the art on display will encourage discussions “about representation, equality, and artistic expression” and that it “speaks volumes about the struggles, triumphs, and aspirations of a diverse community that has been both marginalized and celebrated.” She wants attendees to “embrace the beauty and complexity of Black art, and see the artist’s works being in pursuit of truth, liberation, and preservation of the collective memory.”
Durham also shared that being a part of HBHAS has helped her feel grounded in her community, roots, and culture and given her a sense of belonging. She is proud to help develop community belonging and cultural understanding in Halton Hills and hopes that the artists participating in the exhibition also feel an increased sense of belonging as a result of the exhibition.
In the Emancipation Art Exhibition brochure, Halton Hills’ Mayor Ann Lawlor shared that the exhibit is a meaningful representation of the “cross-cultural, personal interpretations of emancipation reflected through each artist’s experience” and that “these are opportunities for learning and talking,” which she hopes will “brings a renewed commitment towards building bridges, celebrating and embracing diversity.”
The exhibition’s opening reception on August 4 will also feature music from Toronto musician Geoff Bournes; the opening reception is open to the community. The HBHAS Emancipation Art Exhibition is on display in both the Helson Gallery and Upper Sisnett Lobby at 9 Church St. in Halton Hills. Gallery hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
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