This Unfamiliar Place
Location: SOCA Gallery University of Windsor
Date: November 15 to 22
Participating Artists: Brayden Jones, Hannah King, Brooklyn Elgie, Andrea
Niven, Janine Sindrey, Maya Rice, Emma Flemming
​This Unfamiliar Place invites viewers to consider place in a broad sense – not only as ‘home’ but as a space of transformation, reimagining, and shifting perspective. The title speaks to the ways that familiar spaces, objects or states or mind can change, becoming unfamiliar he times, adaptation or personal transition. It also reflects the experience of stepping into an unknown space after a significant change, where we find ourselves transformed and yet learning to reorient within the ‘new’. This theme allows us to explore connections between home, identity, transformation and history, offering viewers a space to reflect on how familiar places can shift and evolve after times of change.
Espoir au milieu des ruines (Hope Within the Ruins), 2024- Mixed media on Paper
Metamorphosis, 2024 - Mixed media on canvas
As we venture through life’s trials and tribulations, from infant to old age, we are in a constant state of change as our experiences transform and shape our identities. I have always felt close to the natural world and often find metaphorical connections within nature that apply to my own life. Accordingly, my current focus has been the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly. Observing its mysterious metamorphosis and transformation, as well as its perseverance and ability to survive in disturbed habitats, has informed the way I approach my mixed media works. I take inspiration from the energy and potential of the Monarch’s lifecycle, for me it has become a symbolic means to convey a message of potential, resilience, and hope that I want to share with viewers.
–Andrea Niven, 2024
Artist Biography:
After a successful career in education, teaching French for thirty years, I decided to achieve my goal of completing my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. My time to seriously explore my creativity as a visual artist has finally come to fruition. As I emerge onto the art scene, after years of contemplation, I feel a sense of excitement about my journey as a visual artist and look forward to the many creative opportunities that lie ahead.
Espoir au milieu des ruines (Hope Within the Ruins), 2024- Mixed media on Paper - Details
