Mentoring City of Kitchener's 2022 Artist-in-Residence

Kitchener's proposed 2022 Artist-in-Residence plans to share stories of underrepresented communities through portraits

Yesterday, at a City committee meeting, local artist Bangishimo Johnston was announced as the proposed 2022 City of Kitchener artist-in-residence, pending Council approval. Bangishimo is an IndigiQueer Anishinaabe originally from Couchiching First Nations located on Treaty #3 territory. In addition to being an artist and photographer, Bangishimo is a community organizer and advocate for the inclusion of Black, Indigenous, and racialized voices.

This year, the City of Kitchener has partnered with Textile Magazine for its annual artist-in-residence program, which supports innovation and excellence in the arts. Each year, a new artist holds the position, creating public artwork and showcasing the diversity of the Waterloo Region. As part of the residency, Bangishimo Johnston plans to produce a series of photographic portraits that engage the local Indigenous, racialized, and Black communities. The portraits will explore the ancestral connection to the land and the need to reclaim time honoured teachings.

Read more: https://www.kitchener.ca/en/news/2022-artist-in-residence-plans-to-share-stories-of-underrepresented-communities-through-portraits.aspx