ARTIST BIO
Taslim Samji is a multidisciplinary artist, spoken word poet and writer who studied at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia where she majored in Asian Studies. She is a change maker that uses arts and culture as a vehicle to educate and inspire. Experimenting with different approaches and learning about the perspectives and identities of others is essential to Taslim’s practice. Taslim is known for being an advocate and curating thought-provoking exhibitions showcasing the work of Muslim artists, Black, Indigeneous people of colour (BIPOC), and sharing stories of immigration in response to xenophobia. She has served on various boards including the City of Burnaby’s Public Art Advisory Committee, Acquisitions Committee, and the Burnaby Arts Council. Taslim received the Women of the Decade in Arts and Leadership award (2017) presented by the Women Economic Forum in Delhi, India. She is currently writing a cultural criticism/coming-of-age memoir where she explores themes of cultural conditioning, generational trauma, and the impact of colonialism through the eyes of a young South Asian girl.
www.TSamji.com
Instagram: @artist_tsamji
ARTWORK DESCRIPTION
Short film, visual art and the spoken word (painting entitled) “Light Within” (acrylic on canvas, 16 inches x 20 inches)
Image plays an important role in our world. We are seen for our physical appearance: assumed gender, skin colour, fashion choices, and the people, places, and things we associate with. We wear our scars beneath the layers of our façade - hidden from the world. These wounds have pushed us to grow, to change, to become who we are. Even if an image is worth a thousand words, it does not fully depict who we are and the divine energy within us.
In the short film, “Conversations with Self”, Taslim Samji shares the layers required in creating this artwork paired with spoken word. She went this route rather than share her physical image in performance mode because her appearance tells you nothing about all she has experienced to become who she is today. Her evolution continues. She sees herself as a work in progress.
Is the artwork in the film finished? Like Taslim, its journey will continue, with either subtle or dramatic changes. Perhaps she will attempt to fix the imperfections and create more imperfections. She may paint over it. The sunlight may fade it. She may frame it. It may find a new home or disintegrate.
The “faith and spirituality” prompt inspired the short film, the painting, and the spoken word. Commonly used as a symbol of the all-pervasive presence of God, the light source emanating from the center of the painting represents the divine in all beings, matter, and space. The animals depicted in the painting will go through changes in their life span. At every point of their evolution, divine energy flows through them, encompassing in all directions, connecting us all.
