TD Arts Diversity Award Finalist Profile: Syrus Marcus Ware

Employing Art as an Agent for Advocacy

By Parul Pandya

Syrus Marcus Ware believes that the arts are an accessible entry point and platform for social movement building, allowing for an openness for people to express their resistance and find active ways into political, cultural and social conversations.

“Artists have been using their craft to speak the messages of the people for centuries, if not longer. We both, amplify the messages of activists and we harness our creativity to help push activism further, by literally painting futures into reality in our work” he says. In fact Syrus believes that at this time it is vital for creative minds to mobilize to advocate with and for communities, addressing the attitude of sweeping neo-liberalism that he perceives as a threat to all life on the planet.

A Vanier Scholar and core-team member of Black Lives Matter Toronto, Syrus has used  visual arts as a tool to challenge systemic oppression through his impressive body of work. His accolades include the 2005 Now Magazine award for “Best Queer Activist” and in 2012 being awarded the Steinert and Ferreiro Award for LGBT community leadership and activism.

The foundation of Syrus’ work is clearly grounded in urgency. “We are in the fight of our lives, and the fight of our planet's life, as climate wars rage and the violence of white supremacy increases,” he explains.

Syrus is committed to continuing the fight against anti-black racism well into the future, citing his desire to impact change mainly on an institutional level. His plans are staying rooted in black activist culture and continuing to collaborate and exchange with global artists and activists who are fighting for equity and social change.

On a personal level, Syrus shares that he gains so much learning and understanding about life from his six year old daughter. “I am looking forward to learning from my daughter, and from the job of parenting, continuing to deepen my understanding of what it means to live in relation to other beings, and sharing love.”

Reflecting on being a TD Arts Diversity Award Finalist, he truly believes and loves his calling as an artist and activist, and working for “the self determination of all people.” In addition to being in the company of two other seasoned community artists, “recognition of these efforts rarely happen within activist circles, and so this feels like such a wonderful honour and such a gift. I am so so thankful.”

 

Upcoming:

Two projects for Nuit Blanche 2017- The Stolen People (with Melisse Watson) at City Hall (A futuristic bunker set in the year 2167!) https://nbto.com/project.html?project_id=335 and; Won't Back Down (with Deanna Bowen and Kaia'tanoron Dumoulin) at the south entrance to Queens Park (a celebration of black and Indigenous activism, with 12 protest gestures spread out throughout the night). Im thrilled to be part of two major projects celebrating activism and black resistance movements https://nbto.com/project.html?project_id=255

A month-long residency with the Trans Archives at the University of Victoria, through the Grunt Gallery in Vancouver, in preparation for an upcoming exhibition Syrus will be having there next spring. http://www.uvic.ca/transgenderarchives/

Activist Portrait Series is on display right now at both the Art Gallery of Ontario's Every Now, Then exhibition (Until December 2017) https://syrusmarcusware.com/past-projects-exhibitions/activist-portrait-series/

Open Space (Victoria)'s Deconstructing Comfort exhibition. Syrus will also be doing an online residency as part of the Toronto Performance Art Collective (7a*11d)'s social media residency program this fall http://openspace.ca/programming/deconstructing-comfort