Iyunade Judah and Glodi Bahati: Joy is more than just a feeling

window is pleased to present our forty-ninth installation:

Joy is more than just a feeling, 

Featuring work by Iyunade Judah and Glodi Bahati,

Curated by Mahlet Cuff and Ekene Maduka, on view until July 27, 2020

Works on display:

Iyunade Judah, Sequel to bond, May 2019, photography 

Glodi Bahati, When she asked me why I left, May 2020, photography

Curatorial statements:

To understand trauma as a Black person and see the pain that not only yourself go through but the suffering of others in your community. It leaves you and stays with you always. The events of racism, anti Blackness, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia and ableism being heightened and used against Black people in the recent months is not new. It is not new to see violence, discrimination and ongoing trauma being displayed for everyone to see and witness at the same time. I know for myself and the ways I have been able to digest everything that has happened, it is to take time to process, think and rest. To take care of myself when I see Black people being murdered and accountability is not even a part of the equation. 

To be angry, sad and be okay with that. To know that through all this grief, there is happiness within it. To connect with my community, to be surrounded by Black people however that looks like in the age social distancing. These pieces by these three emerging artists showcase the feeling of pleasure as a Black person and to understand the humanization of the Black experience. 

-Mahlet Cuff

I often think about little knee-jerk reactions that I impulsively make. Undoubtedly, waking up and jumping straight on my phone is one of those many actions that have become reflexive. The past few months have felt like a lot of things and nothing all at once–From an overwhelming  consumption of violence against black bodies on multiple media outlets, to everything else in-between that has made the majority describe this time as “strange”. Not one work email coming into my inbox has missed out the words “I hope you are well in these trying times” and to some degree, these words have become redundant and lacking in comfort. A paradox really. Despite the strain, despite not being able to fully digest my anger and mixed emotions, one thing is constant; I’ve somehow found ways to genuinely laugh, to smile, to feel stronger in  vulnerability. Words are interesting and so is semiotics. The word ‘joy’ with its commonplace nature is as mundane as the act of casual laughter at a table with friends and loved ones. These moments are unaccounted for and are painted as “small” and quotidian. Reduced to just a symbol but robust in feeling. Reduced to the flatness of 2 dimensional prints by virtue of July’s artist’s Judah, Glodi and Ryan we see these moments frozen and highlighted as being important. I smile with Ryan’s subject with teeth and skin a deep cobalt blue from concert lights in the background. I am warm, I am lifted by the women embracing each other in Judah’s work and feel safe in the vulnerability and intimacy of Glodi’s women in white. From me and Mahlet Cuff and by WindowWinnipeg, we write to you this love letter, a reminder really, that in the midst of our consumption of violence there exists many other sides to the narrative of “the black community”. 

-Ekene Maduka

About the artists:

Iyunade Judah is an artist-photographer based in Winnipeg Canada, originally from Ogun, Nigeria. His work focuses on the black experience from an African’s point of view in the diaspora. He has worked on a number of photo projects and short films on black masculinity, gender and afrocentrism.

Judah's work primarily focuses on identity and a need for consciousness in African art. Iyunade's say that "My work is inspired by my curiosity to discover African history and art. I found out that there’s almost no identity for me and a lot of people like. I make use of imaginary narratives such as reincarnation in my practice to convey a message which might be on sexuality, history, identity or love. I infuse's fabric as a backdrop to appreciate African prints and patterns which hasbecome a personal style." 

Glodi Bahati is a 20-year-old black woman photographer, based in Winnipeg. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and raised in Uganda as a refugee fleeing the civil war in her home country, art was a comfort in her life. Glodi has been captivated by photography from a young age, living in Canada, she started her unique journey by taking photos in her last year of high school. Glodi took part in an intensive program for her final year of study, where she was able to focus entirely on photography, within this program she was able to publish her first photography book “The Following”. Glodi currently showcases her work through Instagram but is working on a second book and future showcases. She is inspired by the women in her life and the world around her. Glodi’s work draws inspiration from street, conceptual and fashion photography. Artists like Vivian Maier, Petra Collins, Micaiah Carter and Carrie Mae Weems are a consistent inspiration. " 

About the curators:

Mahlet Cuff is an interdisciplinary artist from Treaty one territory so called Winnipeg, Manitoba that uses mediums such as photography, collaging and poetry. Through their work she hopes to create more awareness about the lack of representation of women of colour, queer people of colour in media. Their work has been shown at local galleries and events such as Ace Art inc and Black Space’s (Nuit blanche’s) Nuit Noire. Their work has been shown at the Art Space Window Gallery, Flip Fest, and in the artist run center “Tea Base” in Toronto, Ontario. She explores topics of feminism, Blackness and gender through her artistic and activist practice.

Ekene Maduka is an emerging artist making work that combines lived and formulated events relating to notions of displacement, self representation and reconstructing identity. Her work often investigates the effects of cultural, social and political exposure on developing individual identity and its relationship to communal experience. More of her work can be found via her Instagram: @ekenemaduka

window is located on Treaty 1 Territory, the original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples and the homeland of the Metis Nation. Window is co-curated by Noor Bhangu, Mariana Muñoz Gomez, and Sarah Nesbitt.

This installation was made possible with the generous support of the Winnipeg Arts council and Manitoba Arts Council.