Whess Harman
Canadian First Nations artist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Whess Harman (born 1990) is a multidisciplinary Indigenous artist, curator, writer, and activist based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Whess Harman | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990 (age 35–36) Prince Rupert, BC |
| Education | Bachelor of Fine Arts |
| Alma mater | Emily Carr University of Art and Design |
| Known for | drawing, beadwork, textiles, curation, writing |
| Website | https://www.whessharman.com |
Biography
Whess Harman (he/they) was born in Prince Rupert, British Columbia and is a member of the Carrier Wit'at Nation (known under the Canadian government as part of the Lake Babine Nation).[1][2] In 2014, he obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts from Emily Carr University of Art and Design.[3] From January 2021 to March 2025, Harman was grunt gallery's curator, having previously worked there as curatorial assistant.[4][5]
Artistic and curatorial practice
Harman's artistic practice includes drawing and illustration, beadwork, textiles, humour, zines, and wordplay.[6] He often references his identity as a queer, trans member of Carrier Wit’at nation living away from his territories and his involvement in the punk music scene.[7][8] His work explores the ways in which art can be used as a tool of resistance, to interpret questions of identity and relation, and to prioritize internal community dialogue over colonial frameworks.[9][10] His work is held in numerous collections, including at the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery at the University of British Columbia.[6]
Harman's curatorial practice prioritizes emerging queer and BIPOC cultural workers and artists.[7]
Select Artworks
In spring 2019, Harman developed the These Ones (formally Together Apart) zine series following the Together Apart, Queer Indigeneities 2S/Indigiqueer Symposium.[11][12]
In 2020, Harman designed a "Land Back" sewn patch that was used in a collaboration with musical group The Halluci Nation as the cover for a song with the same title.[13]
Harman's text-based works, including his 2020 mural Body as Vessel/Body as Blockade, are often intentionally difficult to read, forcing the viewer to slow down and put in the labour to decipher what is being said.[14] This work is a response to the frequent question of anyone doing land defense work being asked why they do it.[15]
Select Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
- Potlatch Punk World Tour, Neutral Ground, Regina, April 5 - May 31, 2025[7]
- chew the bones, they’re soft, Open Space, Victoria, February 5 - April 30, 2022[16]
- Lossy: How to Save File for Future Transmission, Fina Gallery, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, June 11 - September 10, 2021[17]
Group Exhibitions
- Somewhere We Have Travelled: Indigenous Alumni Exhibition, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Vancouver, February 20 - March 20, 2026[18]
- Land Back Rewind, Vines Den, Vancouver, April 19 - 29, 2025[19]
- XIÁM, Bill Reid Gallery, Vancouver, February 7 - May 19, 2024[20]
- Gutters are Elastic, Nanaimo Art Gallery, Nanaimo, July 15 - September 24, 2023[21]
- Start Somewhere Else, Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, June 16 - August 14, 2022[22]
- Sensing of the Wound, Or Gallery, Vancouver, March 5 - April 30, 2022[23]
- Distortions and Echo, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, May 29, 2021 - January 3, 2022[24]
- Exploring Care, Part 2: Holding Space, Campbell River Art Gallery, Campbell River, June 1 - August 28, 2021[25]
- LAND BACK, Open Space, Victoria, October 9, 2020 - January 16, 2021[26]