Syrus Marcus Ware
Black Bunker
Gallery Two
Co-presented in conjunction with
CAFKA.25: Field Guide to the Understory
Exhibition Info
Syrus Writes: Dear ones… I’m creating a conceptual Black Bunker to store and keep a compendium of Black life, history, music, art, and magic for a future eventuality where we may need it to re-imagine our lives on this planet.
In vintage “futuristic” movies, and in the very real landscape of today, white billionaires build bunkers stocked with 1950s nuclear family-type instructions and shelves of white cannons: “Friends” TV episodes and Shakespeare plays and stories about white history.
I am interested in OUR memories and what we would most want to ensure was remembered in 50 years, in 100 years, but further still- in 1000 years… what you would absolutely want remembered in a Black Bunker for future generations of Black communities? What do you think we need to know for the future about this time of now? What song would you be jamming to in the bunker? What meals are part of your supplies? What dances will you make sure we never forget?
Artist Biography
Syrus Marcus Ware is a Vanier Scholar, visual artist, activist, curator, and educator based in Toronto. Using painting, installation, and performance, Syrus works with and explores social justice frameworks and Black activist culture. Syrus is a co-founder of Black Lives Matter – Canada and the Wildseed Centre for Art & Activism. He is the innovator of the Wildseed Black Arts Fellowship, the Put Your Roots Down Residency and the Black August Residency. Syrus is a past co-curator of Blackness Yes!/Blockorama, the largest and longest running programming at the Pride Toronto Festival.