Shadows of Nothingness

In the fall of 2024, the Shadows of Nothingness art exhibit, located at Durand Coffee in Hamilton, Ontario, showcased a selection of pieces working around queer silence and nothingness. Through printmaking and embossing techniques, Shadows of Nothingness invites viewers to engage in the ongoing creative and scholarly work of queer Iranian artist, activist, and feminist educator, Aytak Dibavar as they navigate the “delicate interplay between presence and absence…the elusive nature of nothingness, shadows, and the traces left behind”.

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On its opening night, guests were invited to attend a panelist conversation on archives, silence, and erasures as part of the opening reception. In conversation with Stephanie Rico, Cassidy Burr, and Maddi Chan, the panel of Pedagogies of Hope members reflected on the complexities, processes, and ethics of archival absence and practice.

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Listen to the discussion below: