Whess Harman
Born
Prince Rupert, BC
NationalityCarrier Wit'at
EducationBachelor of Fine Arts
Alma materEmily Carr University of Art and Design
AwardsBC Arts Council, Early Development Grant; Radical Indigenous Survivance and Empowerment (R.I.S.E) Collective, Fellowship; First People's Cultural Council, Indigenous Arts Program, Mentorship at grunt gallery
Websitehttps://www.whessharman.com

Whess Harman is an artist and curator based in what is colonially known as Vancouver, British Columbia. They are most known for their beading and zine work, including their Potlach Punk series and their Together Apart Zine series.[1]

Biography

Whess Harman is a trans/non-binary person from the Carrier Wit'at Nation (known under Canadian government as part of the Lake Babine Nation), born in what is known as Prince Rupert, BC.[2][3] In 2014, Harman obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Emily Carr University of Art and Design.[4]

Career

Whess Harman is a multidisciplinary artist whose work ranges in media. Their practice includes beading, illustration, design, text, and curation.[5] Since obtaining their BFA from Emily Carr University, Harman has participated in and curated a variety of exhibitions across Turtle Island and Norway.

Much of their work uses humour or wordplay, and references their Indigenous existence and heritage, as well as their involvement in the punk music scene.[6] One of Harman's most comprehensive current projects is Together Apart. [7] The project began from a symposium event, loosely based on grunt gallery's Two-Spirit cabaret's from the early 1990s.[8] Together Apart now centres around a fluctuating collective of Indigiqueer and/or Two-Spirit artists. As a part of this project, the Together Apart Zine was created and now has seven published volumes.[9] As a continuation of this work, a podcast led by Indigenous writers and creators is currently in the works.[10]

In 2020, Harman designed a "Land Back" sewn patch, which they sold multiples of in order to raise money for organizations and legal funds that support Indigenous land defenders. The "Land Back" patch was also used in a collaboration with musical group The Halluci Nation as the cover for a song with the same title.[11]

In January 2021, Harman was announced as the new Curator for grunt gallery, after having been involved with grunt as a curatorial assistant.[12] Through grunt gallery, and independently as well, they have curated a variety of projects, including Spark: Fireside Artist Talks,[13] and, most recently, Human Nature - Last Supper for the Capture Photography Festival in collaboration with InTransit BC.[14]

Selected exhibtions

  • InterAccess, queersphere, (digital exhibition) Toronto ON [15]
  • Open Space, LAND BACK, Victoria BC [16]
  • ImagineNative, Constellations of Kin, (digital exhibition) Toronto ON [17]
  • Crescent Beach Pop-up Gallery, Indingenous Artists Only, Surrey BC [18]
  • Galleri Nord-Norge, native@home, Harstad NO [19]
  • aceartinc., Oneself, and one another, Winnipeg MB [20]
  • Gallery 101, Language of Puncture, Ottawa ON [21]

Works

References

  1. ↑ https://canadianart.ca/interviews/a-conversation-with-whess-harman-the-new-curator-at-grunt-gallery/ [candianart magazine, 2021]
  2. ↑ "Whess Harman | www.g101.ca". g101.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  3. ↑ "first nations | grunt gallery". grunt.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  4. ↑ Website, Emily Carr University; Communications, Emily Carr; Canada (2019-10-15). "indingenous artists only exhibition event". www.ecuad.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  5. ↑ "QUEERSPHERE Exhibition and Artist Bios | InterAccess". interaccess.org. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  6. ↑ Wrinch, Jasper D. "Whess Harman". CiTR Discorder Magazine. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  7. ↑ "Together Apart, Queer Indigeneities". C Magazine Issue 143 Page 63. 2019-09-15. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  8. ↑ "Together Apart | grunt gallery". grunt.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  9. ↑ Artexte (2019). Together Apart : Queer Indigeneities // Vol. 1 : Intentions. Whess Harman, Ostoro Petahtegoose, Lacie Burning. [Vancouver, British Columbia]: Together Apart Zine.
  10. ↑ Huard, Adrienne. "A Conversation with Whess Harman, the New Curator at grunt gallery – Canadian Art". canadianart.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  11. ↑ Moscufo, Michela. "For These Indigenous Artists 'Land Back' Is Both A Political Message And A Fundraising Opportunity". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  12. ↑ Huard, Adrienne. "A Conversation with Whess Harman, the New Curator at grunt gallery – Canadian Art". canadianart.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  13. ↑ "Spark: Fireside Artist Talks | grunt gallery". grunt.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  14. ↑ "Human Nature – Last Supper". Capture Photography Festival. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  15. ↑ "QUEERSPHERE | InterAccess". interaccess.org. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  16. ↑ "LAND BACK | Open Space". www.openspace.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  17. ↑ "Art Crawl, Night of Indigenous Devs, and Interactive Works". imagineNATIVE. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  18. ↑ Website, Emily Carr University; Communications, Emily Carr; Canada (2019-10-15). "indingenous artists only exhibition event". www.ecuad.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  19. ↑ "Galleri Nord-Norge | FESTSPILLUTSTILLINGEN 2019: NATIVE@HOME". gallerinn.no. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  20. ↑ "aceart inc. Oneself, and one another". www.aceart.org. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  21. ↑ "Language of Puncture | www.g101.ca". g101.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
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