Close

Artworks

Lights on the Exchange – Allumez le Quartier brings an entirely new experience to the heart of Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District. It invites you to embrace winter and explore light in its many forms, illuminating long nights with light-based art installations that re-examine and reimagine, bringing lesser-known histories to light.

Title: Kong and Bannatyne
Artist: Jaymez
100 King St
Statement about the artwork: Exploring Winnipeg history and urban legend through a nostalgic 8-bit video game tribute projected on the front of the King and Bannatyne building. Jaymez’s animation reflects upon the underground and counter-cultures that are firmly part of Winnipeg’s history.

Artist Bio: With a multi-faceted and distinct style, Jaymez has worked in the visual art, dance, theatre and music communities for over a decade. His work has appeared in a number of international festivals, and theatrical and dance productions, and he has created lighting, video and sound designs for a wide range of companies, choreographers and musicians.

Read more

Title: The Space Between
Artist: Taylor McArthur
168 Bannatyne Ave
Statement about the artwork: “As I reconnected with emotions, I became aware that one definitive path would keep me in an endless loop of isolation and anxiety. Instead, I chose five reflections, through parallel lives.” – Taylor McArthur

Artist Bio: Taylor McArthur (Pogé hąská wašté wiyá/Hummingbird Woman) is a digital artist working with 3D animation, video game design, and video. Her practice is informed by Indigenous Futurisms and seeks to situate her Indigenous culture within both the modern and a potential future vision.

Read more

Title: A Place I call Home
Artist: Faisal Anwar
492 Main St
Statement about the artwork: Due to war, societal instabilities and climate change, more and more people around the world and within Canada are being forced to move. Artist Faisal Anwar is inviting people to participate in his new interactive artwork and reflect on what “HOME” means to them. Anyone can post a photo on Instagram and tag it with #APlaceICallhomeProject. The tagged photo will be added to a large-scale installation of photographs in motion projected on a building.

Artist Bio: Faisal Anwar is a Hybrid Artist, Curator Karachi Biennial 22, and creative technologist working between Canada and Pakistan. Founder of CultureLab.art, he explores the intersection of art, science, nature, and data, investigating concerns on climate change, sustainability, and shifts in new emerging economies. His creative computational thinking, research, and artistic practice branches through interactive installations, immersive environments, data-driven interventions, internet art, HybridNFT, and MetaVerse / Web 3.0 .

Read more

Title: Nature Bots
Artist: Nereo Zorro 
492 Main St
Statement about the artwork: The technology revolution has undoubtedly aided humanity in many positive ways, but in contrast it has also brought upon damage to our world through pollution and the depletion of natural resources. The Nature Bot installation highlights the connection between a healthy brain and a healthy heart. The planter head symbolically suggests that we get enough water sun and oxygen if we really care to light the path for future generations to come.

Artist Bio: Nereo Zorro aka scenereo is a multidisciplinary artist- painter, poet, mover, teacher, father who believes in art being utilized as a powerful tool for creating positive social change.
Whether painting large scale murals, speed painting beside a live orchestra, leading dance workshops, performing spoken word poetry or sculpting larger than life creatures, Nereo always looks for the interconnectedness in all of his work.

Read more

Title: One Night at the Marlborough
Artist: Derek Bassey
275 McDermot Ave
Straddling the line between camp and crime, One Night at the Marlborough seeks to represent the manifestation of ill-gotten desires while offering an air of mystery about what the desire is and by what measure it is deemed ill. It is a conversation between the living and the inanimate. Is what you see before you an act of overzealous passion, or ironclad companionship? Collaboration or competition? One Night at the Marlborough is a visual feast that engages the viewer’s imagination and creativity.

Artist Bio: Derek Bassey is a self-taught 22-year-old artist. Born and raised in Nigeria but currently residing in Canada, Derek started painting after he graduated high school in 2016. His body of work explores subject matters like identity, death, legacy and love. He draws inspiration from many sources including visions in his consciousness and lyrics from his favourite music.

Read more

Title: Colonial Cartoons: Nanabush Across Time
Artist: Karrie McEwan
185 Bannatyne Ave
This four panel comic strip in the windows of 185 Bannatyne features the traditional character Nanabush, a mythological trickster spirit at the centre of many Anishinaabe stories. For Karrie, Nanabush represents Indigenous people as a whole, in order to address the commercialization of Indigenous objects and the history of colonialism. Karrie hopes their strip’s fun, rubber-hose cartoon style makes people look twice and engage with it.

Artist Bio: Karrie McEwan is a two spirit Anishinaabe artist who mixes traditional Indigenous art and urban art to create a unique style of graphic illustration. They’re inspired by video games, animals and Anishinaabe storytelling. One of their trademarks is the use of Anishinaabemowin syllabics. Karrie attended the University of Manitoba’s School of Art in the Design Honours program.

Read more

Title: Black Forest Entrancement
Artist: Diana Thorneycroft
93 Albert St
Statement about the artwork: Black Forest Entrancement is a stage for an unwritten fairy tale. It depicts the entrance to a magical forest – a fecund and lush garden filled with enigmatic creatures plotting revenge. As a child, Diane Thorneycroft lived on a Canadian military base near Baden-Baden, Germany. The Black Forest, which was also the setting for fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, was her playground and has had a profound influence on her artistic practice.

Artist Bio: Known for making art that frequently employs black humour and hovers on the edge of public acceptance, Diana Thorneycroft has pursued subject matter that often challenges her viewing audience. Stemming from the recently touring installation Black Forest (dark waters), her first stop-motion animation short film Black Forest Sanatorium had its world premiere at the 2020 Vancouver International Film Festival.

Read more

Title: N/A
Artists: Alexis Aurora + Marie-France Hollier 
Artspace Drayway
Statement about the artwork: A hundred years ago, the drayway inside the old Gault building was where people parked their horse-drawn carriages. Now it’s where you can admire Alexis Aurora’s blue and white chevron symbols that recall the movement of water. They’re made using a photographic technique called cyanotype and printed with the use of UV light. Alexis’ photo paintings are paired with Marie-France Hollier’s audio art, Cricket Chorus, which presents a dry soundscape of a prairie summer.

Artist Bio: Alexis Aurora is a Métis artist who holds a BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. He participated in the exchange program at the Cooper Union School of Art and Architecture in New York.

Marie-France Hollier is an interdisciplinary artist and musician who holds a BFA Honours from the University of Manitoba. Her first solo exhibition was exhibited at Blinkers Art and Project Space.

Read more

Title: Good Morning, ur face was in my mind!
Artists: Shaneela Boodoo + B. Bhoy Gali
217 McDermot Ave
Statement about the artwork: B. Bhoy Gali recites his charming, personal poetry about heartbreak, friendship and perseverance. Just stand outside on the sidewalk and watch Brenden in the storefront window. He’ll read his poetry into a microphone while you listen through outdoor speakers and admire the set created by Shaneela Boodoo that marries digital and kitsch imagery.

Artist Bio: B. Bhoy Gali trained as a dancer. Now he’s a self-described “thinker with intent to move” who explores his creativity on paper.

Shaneela Boodoo graduated from the University of Manitoba with a BFA (Honours) in Design and the University of Winnipeg with an MA in Cultural Studies. She explores the entanglements of colonialism, displacement and womanhood.

Read more

Coming soon
Title: wiigwaas gikendamowin
Artist: KC Adams
Statement about the artwork: My lantern honours the Exchange District as an arts hub and vibrant place to visit, and it recognizes the original peoples of this territory. My designs represent technologies that Indigenous people embraced in the past and present; beading, birchbark biting, and modern information technologies. The imagery contains Indigenous knowledge that vibrates with a wealth of wisdom, balance, hope, and innovation.

Artist Bio: KC Adams is of Anishinaabe, Niheyew, and British descent and lives in Winnipeg. Adams is a relational maker whose work connects to Indigenous axiology and epistemology––recognizing her role as an educator, activist, community member and mentor. In addition, Adams creates work that explores technology and its relationship to her Indigenous identity and knowledge systems.

Read more

Title: Peaceful Protest, the Dividend of True Democracy Lantern
Artist: Yisa Akinbolaji 
492 Main St.
Statement about the artwork: The Exchange District was the site of Winnipeg’s General Strike. My lantern celebrates the power of the people and peaceful protest. People’s voices must always be heard, and their human rights must be respected.

Artist Bio: Born in Ondo, Yisa Akinbolaji is an interdisciplinary artist from Lagos, Nigeria, who settled in Winnipeg in 1997. He describes himself as an experimentalist and emphasizes the significance of curiosity and productivity for his evolution. Yisa developed Remoglue medium for his painting and is founder of the Creative Foundation Inc.

Read more

Coming soon
Title: Light Lantern
Artist: Bîstyek 
Statement about the artwork: “Light” in the artist’s two languages, English and Arabic ضوء Daw’, are merged and suggest hope during the darkest times. The lantern is intended to bring brightness, joy, and warmth, and serve as a reminder of the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Artist Bio: Bîstyek is a Winnipeg-based, self-taught artist. He was born in Syria from a Kurdish family and arrived in Canada as a refugee in 2017. Bîstyek’s style is dramatic and angular, with flashes of memories captured in unsettling shapes and sometimes saturated colour. His pieces are heavily influenced by his personal life and experiences. 

Read more

Title: Beacons Lantern
Artist: Anna Binta Diallo
168 Bannatyne Ave.
Statement about the artwork: Silhouetted figures from archival photographs highlight multiple histories and the people who pass through this area over time. What draws people here, and why were some displaced? Skyscrapers, industrious warehouses, and financial institutions were erected, but the land was already inhabited by Indigenous people. Immigrants settled the area. There was a historic strike. Today, it is Winnipeg’s artistic core. 

Artist Bio: Anna Binta Diallo (b Dakar, Senegal) is a Canadian multi-disciplinary visual artist who investigates memory and nostalgia to create unexpected narratives surrounding identity. Her work has been widely exhibited in Canada and internationally. In 2021, she won the Barbara Sphor Memorial Prize and received the Black Designers of Canada award of Excellence. In 2022, she was longlisted for the Sobey Art Award. 

Read more

Title: Lii Faam Michif Mashkawishiwak pi Tipeemishowak (Métis women are strong and free/own themselves)
Artist: Claire Johnston
474 Main St.
Statement about the artwork: My lantern shines a light on the story of Annie Bannatyne, a well-educated Métis woman and philanthropist from the 19th century. Annie publicly shamed and whipped an anti-Métis bigot, exclaiming “this is how the women of Red River treat those who insult them”. This lantern is a tribute to the fierce spirit of Métis women past, present, and future, and exemplifies the unique fire within our hearts.

Artist Bio: Claire Johnston (she/they) is a Michif beadwork artist based in her Homeland of Winnipeg, MB. She is currently mentoring with Jennine Krauchi as part of the MAWA Foundation Mentorship Program. As an Autistic person, Claire’s art practice is informed by the strengthening of relationships — with herself, her kin and the natural world.

Read more

Coming soon
Title: Magic Fish Lantern
Artist: Natalie Mark
Statement about the artwork: Magic Fish is designed to bring light and magic where extra stars are needed. The jackfish, walleye and catfish connect the urban landscape to nature and the nearby Red River, where all these fish can be found.

Artist Bio: Natalie is an illustrator and cartoonist. In addition to their illustrative practice, they have co-created an installation at Pride Toronto’s street fair, facilitated workshops, and created video work for Reel Asian International Film Festival. Recently, they have been teaching at their local art gallery. Natalie loves going to their local library and making zines!

Read more

Coming soon
Title: Indigenous Perspectives on the Exchange
Artist: Justine Proulx
Statement about the artwork: My lantern offers an Indigenous perspective on the history of the Exchange District. The first panel is dedicated to First Nations and the bison who sustained them, especially through the harshest of winters. The second panel represents the Red River Settlement and the dangerous and exhausting work of the Voyageurs. The third panel shows the Exchange District in more modern times, owing much of its growth to Métis and First Nations peoples.

Artist Bio: Justine is a Métis Tattooist & Mural Artist in Winnipeg, Manitoba. From a young age, she felt called to create and serve in industries that fuelled her creative passion and love for working closely with people. She is always looking for ways to honour her heritage, specifically with her woodland art/tattoos, and murals. 

Read more

Title: Wiikondiwag : to feast together. 
Artist: Destiny Seymour 
155 Bannatyne Ave. (parking garage)
Statement about the artwork: My lantern was inspired by patterns on an ancient pot. Southern Manitoba has a rich history of ceramics dating back over 5000 years. These early cooking tools were our first beautifully decorated home goods. Many are currently living in the Manitoba Museum with over 3 million shards catalogued. They are relatively unknown by the general population. It’s time we celebrate these beautiful designs. 

Artist Bio: Destiny Seymour is an Anishinaabe interior designer based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her practice takes a critical look at the representation of Indigenous cultures within design and architecture. She works with patterns from local Indigenous pottery and bone tools that date from 400 to over 3000 years old. These patterns are picking up where her ancestors left off. 

Read more

Coming soon
Title: The Sun Rises and Sets with You
Artist: Jackie Traverse 
Statement about the artwork: The Sun Rises and Sets with You depicts a mother’s unconditional love of her children, the land and waters.

Artist Bio: Jackie Traverse is a multi-disciplinary Indigenous artist with a practice rooted in community. She draws her inspiration from her Ojibway culture and her community of Lake St. Martin First Nation, and her experiences as a native woman living in Winnipeg. She is widely known in art communities across Canada for her painting, drawing, documentary, and sculptural works that speak to the realities of being an Indigenous woman. 

Read more

Coming soon
Title: Murmurings  
Artist: Paul Robles
Statement about the artwork: The birds and the skyline seen from studio windows make me think of Murmuration. I consider this epic natural phenomenon of large flocks flying together, twisting, and turning, and changing direction to understand the diaspora of the Exchange. The lanterns invite you to connect with its past as a hub of labour and commerce, to think of migrant/immigrant (sewing) factories, and to create your own narratives.

Artist Bio: Filipino born Winnipeg artist Paul Robles is known for his intricate cut paper works. He combines delicate craft with animist familiars, folklore, ghosts, and grief to explore psychological and emotional states. Recently, Robles has begun to incorporate sculptural elements into his work. 

Read more

Title: Yagasuri Wheat 
Artist: Takashi Iwasaki
280 William Ave.
Statement about the artwork: Yagasuri Wheat reflects on the historical significance of the Exchange District, its modern-day function and iconic existence, and its future as a more culturally diverse and inclusive place. A traditional Japanese textile pattern of repeated arrow fletchers evokes wheat fields here. Between the spikes of wheat are nibs of a fountain pen that could be used by the artists and writers of the Exchange.

Artist Bio: Takashi Iwasaki was born in Japan and moved to Winnipeg at the age of 20 to study fine art and become a visual artist. Being immersed in the visual art scene and feeling rooted in the community, I have called Winnipeg my new hometown, where I have lived and worked for 20 years. 

Read more

Title: PAG-ASA (HOPE)
Artist: Jonato Dalayoan
Statement about the artwork: Unique patterns were created for each side of the lantern to represent the diversity within our community and the integration of different cultures working together. The design is intended to reflect the bustling creative energy of the Exchange today, while finding joy in the chaos. 

Artist Bio: Jonato Dalayoan is an award-winning graphic designer and visual artist whose work is distinguished by a unique blend of urban art and professional design sensibilities. Jonato prides himself in being versatile. He draws inspiration from his family, faith, heritage, nature, community, and artistic interests. With two decades of experience in leading agencies in the Prairies, he is currently the owner of 4two Design Inc. 

Read more

Title: N/A
Artist: Skye Spence
474 Main St.
Statement about the artwork: Skye’s photography is inspired by the wild concrete village of Winnipeg and his love of texture and light. Light, in all its manifestations, is at the very heart and structure of life and the universe. Understanding how to work with it will always produce the most stunning images, no matter what the message might be.

Artist Bio: Skye Spence is an Indigenous cinematographer and street photographer in Winnipeg. He’s also the co-creator of NSTY Entertainment, which makes music videos like Charlie Fettah’s Never End. He works in Winnipeg, Montreal, Toronto, Minneapolis and beyond.

Read more