Superhumans and mutations: a creative workshop for travellers
July 18, 2023
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
A creative workshop on resiliency, survival and the immigration experience!
Join artist, poet and educator Namitha Rathinappillai for an open and creative workshop in response to Rajni Perera: Futures. This workshop is open to individuals who are immigrants or who have been impacted by the throes of forced immigration.
The process of immigration is seldom a simple one and becomes more complicated when the terms on which you leave are contentious: whether because of political conflict, environmental tragedy, or other harms.
In this workshop, we’ll look at Rajni Perera’s notion of the “evolved superhuman” in her Travellers series. And, we’ll ask: how might we see this “mutation” or “evolution” in those who have built up resiliency when facing such a difficult challenge? In what ways might we reclaim this sense of “mutation” to be a strength, rather than a weakness?
We invite you to engage in conversation and art to reflect on how we might pen an ode to ourselves and our survival. There will be writing materials and prompts, as well as a variety of art materials and art-making prompts. How you respond is up to you!
Light refreshments will be provided.
This event is generously supported by the Stonecroft Foundation for the Arts.
Access This event will require moving around the gallery space. Light chairs are available. A microphone will be used.
Construction A big construction project at the north end of campus has changed the usual walking routes to CUAG. Here is a map to guide you.
Parking Visitor parking is available in the big concrete parkade (Lot P18), built over the O-train tracks. Please see the visiting page of CUAG’s website for directions.
Participants
Namitha Rathinappillai (she/they) is a queer, Tamil-Canadian published spoken-word poet, organizer and workshop facilitator. She is currently based in Toronto and was the first female and youngest director of Ottawa’s Urban Legends Poetry Collective (ULPC). You can find more info here. She is the guest educator for Rajni Perera: Futures, generously supported by the Stonecroft Foundation for the Arts.