Collage Workshop: Piecing Together Identity
Thursday, October 23, 12:00 - 1:30 pm
Gallery 1C03 (first floor of Centennial Hall, beside the Info Booth)
All are welcome to attend!
Artist Bria Fernandes and Gallery 1C03's Curatorial Intern Déandra Grace will present an interactive workshop centred on visualizing identity through collaging. The event begins with a brief exhibit tour. Then participants will make a departure from literal representation in portraiture by piecing together a work about the theme of identity using magazine clippings. All materials will be supplied and no experience needed. Participants are not required to attend the entire event -- drop by when you can and join in the fun! This workshop is presented in conjunction with Fernandes’ Gallery 1C03 exhibition Things Left Unsaid exhibition.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Déandra Grace is a Barbadian curator, filmmaker, and multidisciplinary artist whose work spans film, fine and digital art. Rooted in her Caribbean heritage, her practice explores femininity, sexuality, spirituality, nationalism, and migration, often reflecting the intersection of personal identity and collective experience. Beginning in theatre and dance, her work has evolved into a dialogue between self and society. She holds a BFA in Creative Arts (Film) from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, and is currently reading for an MA in Cultural Studies (Curatorial Practice) at the University of Winnipeg. For Déandra, art is both catharsis and conversation
Bria Fernandes is a Canadian-born figurative painter whose art delves into themes of identity, vulnerability, and belonging, using silence, omission, and exclusion as tools to depict oppression and introspection. Through symbolic imagery and passive body postures, she captures moments of self-reflection, focusing on marginalized communities' unseen emotions and unspoken truths. Working primarily with oil paint and acrylics, Fernandes incorporates symbolic forms that reflect her personal and cultural narratives. Her intricate works create emotionally resonant spaces, inviting viewers to share these moments of contemplation and fostering dialogue about identity, anxiety, and displacement. Born in Ottawa, Fernandes now resides in Winnipeg. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Alberta University of the Arts. Fernandes’ art has been shown in the following exhibitions this year: The Feminine Lived Experience at The Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre (Medicine Hat, AB), UPRISE 2025: The Art of Resistance at The Untitled Space (New York City), Black History Month Showcase with Kanbi Projects via Artsy (online), and Threads of Kin and Belonging at the Winnipeg Art Gallery–Qaumajuq (Winnipeg).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Gallery 1C03 is located on Treaty One Territory and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis, in Wiiniibak, Manido Abi. We acknowledge these are the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anisininew, Ininiwak/Nehethowuk, Oceti Sakowin/Dakota Oyate, and Michif (Métis) Peoples. This territory is also a place of significance for the Denesuline and the Inuit, some of whom have been living here for generations. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation (Shoal Lake 39 is also impacted) in Treaty Three Territory, and that most of our hydro-electricity comes from Treaty Five Territory in northern Manitoba. Through the land, we recognize our connection and commitment to working with the Red River Métis, all First Nations Peoples across Turtle Island, and the Inuit of Canada.
GETTING HERE AND ACCESSIBILITY
Maps of The University of Winnipeg campus, including accessibility and parking maps, can be found at https://www.uwinnipeg.ca/maps/. Gallery 1C03 is located on the main floor of Centennial Hall at 515 Portage Avenue. Accessible, street level visitor entrances with auto door openers and ramps are via Portage Avenue, Ellice Avenue and Spence Street. The gallery doors are equipped with auto-openers. There is a gender-inclusive, accessible washroom less than 100 feet from the Gallery entrance. Our exhibitions and affiliated events are free to everyone.