Activists Love Letters | March 6, 2014 | Main Gallery | Centre for the Arts | W600

Artist: Syrus Marcus Ware

As a closing event for FAG’s exhibition “We Can’t Compete,” artist Syrus Marcus Ware will perform “Activist Love Letters,” March 6, starting at 4 pm in the U of L Main Gallery. All are invited to join the artist in hearing about letters that activists have written to encourage each other and to participate in writing their own letters if they choose. All are welcome and admission is free.

Additional Scheduled Event:
March 7 – 12 pm
Art Now Speaker Series – Recital Hall (W570)

Part of the Complex Social Change Series

Artist Statement:

“Activist Love Letters” encourages the audience/viewer to think about their
role in sustaining a movement, in supporting their communities. Inspired
by the powerful and often hidden letters that activists and organizers
have sent to each other- words of support and encouragement, words of
rage and fear, cautions and inspirations alike- this project has you
considering your own activism and that of the people you hold dear…If
you could reach out to one person who moves you by what they do, who
would it be? What would you say? Activists! Love! Letters!

Biography:

Syrus Marcus Ware is a visual artist, community activist, researcher, youth-advocate
and educator. He is the Program Coordinator of the AGO Youth Program, Art
Gallery of Ontario. As a visual artist, Syrus works within the media of painting,
installation and performance to challenge systemic oppression. Syrus’ work
explores the spaces between and around identities; acting as provocations to our
understandings of gender, sexuality and race. His work has been exhibited at the
Art Gallery of York University (AGYU), The Gladstone Hotel, ASpace Gallery,
Harbourfront Centre, SPIN Gallery and other galleries across his home city of Toronto.
Syrus’ recent curatorial projects include The Church Street Mural
Project (2013), 12 large-scale, community-inspired public murals in the LGBTQ
village in Toronto and the forthcoming That’s So Gay: On the Edge (2014) at the
Gladstone Hotel.

In 2005, Syrus was voted “Best Queer Activist” by Now Magazine, and in 2012 he
was awarded the Steinert and Ferreiro Award for LGBT community leadership and
activism. For the past 10 years, Syrus has worked with Blackness Yes! to produce
Blockorama (the black queer and trans stage at Pride), and other related events
throughout the year. He is a founding member of the Transparent-cy
Working Group at The 519 Community Centre. He helped to initiate the Trans-
Fathers 2B course- the first course for trans men considering parenting in North
America. Syrus is also a member of the Gay/Bi Trans Men’s HIV Prevention
Working Group for the Ontario AIDS Bureau and one of the creators of “Primed: A
Back Pocket Guide for Trans Guys and the Guys Who Dig ‘Em”.
Syrus holds degrees in Art History, Visual Studies and a Masters in Sociology and
Equity Studies, University of Toronto.