I am a trans artist, arts facilitator, and archivist. My artistic practice focuses on embodied queer and trans experiences while touching on larger themes of archiving, queer representation and analogue to digital technological processes. I pull from sourced materials and personal narratives to explore themes of desire, failure, connection and dissonance. Influenced by histories of queer media, my projects can reflect Do-It-Yourself practices of the 1980s and 90s. While understanding the historical importance of queer media, I attempt to shift these concepts into a contemporary space, borrowing aesthetics and inserting present narratives. I have always had a distinct interest in methods of translation; through text, language, and analogue to digital technological processes. This process of translation connects to my personal experience of transness: fluctuating and creating through patchwork to make something that feels real and whole.

My current conceptual focus is on opening dialogue around access to care for trans folks. This can be through community care, or health care. I am interested in dissecting the barriers we face, both contemporarily and historically. This work is rooted within my own personal experiences accessing care as a trans person, and seeking to create connections and support with other trans folks and healthcare providers. My newer works have been created through a combination of sun printing (cyanotype and other sun sensitive chemicals), as well as video documentation. The process of working in sun printing is an intentional reflection on the conceptual driving force of my work. I feel a deep kinship between the process of sun printing with my personal experience of HRT (hormone replacement therapy); chemistry, time, and magic. Similarly, Sun printing can be unpredictable at times, and requires a deep amount of patience and faith. For this residency, my intention is to embark on creating a new collection of prints on the thematic of time and waiting in relation to medical transition. There is so much time spent waiting while accessing gender affirming care, due to the extreme lack of resources allocated to trans folks. My intention is to create a new series of prints depicting this experience of time and waiting during medical transition. My ultimate goal for this work is to be sent out to gender affirming health care spaces across Canada, to live in their waiting rooms for trans folks to interact with while they wait for care. The dream of having trans folks be the leading voices and authority figures within their experiences and needs is at the core of my artistic expression and values. I believe this dream is a familial one.

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Maddie Alexander is a trans artist, arts facilitator, archivist, and educator.  Their artistic practice focuses on embodied queer and trans experiences while exploring larger themes of archiving, queer representation and analogue to digital technological processes. After graduating with a BFA from OCAD University in 2016, he went on to pursue an MFA at NSCAD University where they received The Reznick Family Fund for Student Creativity and the Joan Catherine DeWolfe Graduate Fellowship, and are currently a guest on the unceded territory of Miꞌkmaꞌki.  His work has been exhibited locally and internationally including The Khyber Centre for the Arts, RYMD Reykjavik, Xpace Cultural Centre and The Anna Leonowens Gallery. In support of their artwork, they have received grants from the Canada Council for the Arts .They have always had a distinct interest in methods of translation; through text, language, and analogue to digital technological processes. This process of translation connects to their personal experience of transness: fluctuating and creating through patchwork to make something that feels real and whole. They were the Chair of Programming at Eyelevel Gallery from 2018 to 2022 and an active member of the NSCAD queer collective from 2018 – 2020. He currently work as the Research Assistant and Public Art Manager with IOTA Studios based in Halifax, NS. More about Maddie’s work can be seen at maddie-alexander.com.