Meet AZN Artists Collective

AZN Artists Collective student group recently sat down with Brent Everett James from Campus Life to introduce themselves and share their goals and activities.

Brent:
Brent Everett James here from OCAD U’s Campus Life office having a chat with the leaders from the AZN Artists Collective student group. Please introduce yourselves!

Emerald Repard-Denniston:
My name is Emerald. My pronouns are she/her and I’m a fourth-year student in Drawing & Painting.

Loanne Tran:
And my name is Lo. My pronouns are she/they. I’m in fourth-year Photography.

Brent:
Tell us about your group!

Emerald:
Asian Artists Collective is a newly formed Group (est. 2021) from the OCAD University community. We saw a lack of community within our institution, and because of the pandemic we wanted to form a Collective for members to feel less isolated in these hard times. We are a group that wanted to bring the Asian American Pacific Islander community together to create, talk about social issues, the Pan Asian experience, and to build and foster a network of support and friendship. We are a group of artists that want to empower and grow the Asian community at OCAD University and beyond the institution.

Brent:
How is this year going? How are you keeping the group active and engaging?

Lo:
Past experiences we have accomplished so far include biweekly virtual facilitated discussion groups, outdoor social distanced activities, and on-campus study sessions. We have experience organizing a Gallery exhibition called, “Navigating Identity in the Asian Diaspora” in the Ada Slaight Gallery at OCAD U, and have collaborated with the Rotman Commerce Arts Group Creative to host a workshop at their “Insights Conference”.

Brent:
How do you keep your leadership strong during the pandemic?

Lo:
We bring great enthusiasm and eagerness to build community and have demonstrated our leadership skills through these activities. We have been able to share resources with the group as well as be a support system for one another to talk about school, issues, and everyday art-kid things!

Brent:
Do you have any other activities or meetings coming up for the rest of this term? How can students get involved?

Emerald:
We hope to host another exhibition or collaboration community-based show/workshop intensive at the end of April. Other than that, we plan to keep having in-person meet-ups!

Interested in joining AZN Artists Collective?
Send us a dm and tell us why you are interested and we will add you to the group chat!
Instagram: @azn_artistscollective
Email: aznartistscollective@gmail.com