Looking Ahead, Looking Behind: Teichert Gallery's First Annual Pride Show
by Kate Armstrong
In the month of July, Teichert Gallery is holding our first ever Pride exhibition, featuring a diverse collection of mediums and artists. Pride and art exist within each other, as they are both possible because of self-expression, visibility, vulnerability, and community. Celebrating Pride is integral to queer communities all over the world, and in Kjipuktuk (Halifax), which means they are integral to our gallery. Self-expression is something that has always been at the roots of Pride and queer liberation movements, brought forth by resistance and non-conformity. As a community gallery, we want to represent the diversity and authenticity of the community that surrounds us, and that helps us grow.
From Halifax Pride: “Beginning in 1988 with Halifax's very first Pride March, members of the city's gay and lesbian community organized Pride Week without the benefit of legal protections. Amidst growing unrest about rampant prejudice and discrimination, that first Pride March was primarily a protest over the lack of legal protection from discrimination, and the all-too-common threat of homophobic violence.” At Teichert Gallery, we recognize that Pride and advocating for the queer community does not only exist during Pride month. Our mission is to be a “seed” gallery that is always looking to help emerging artists grow, and we recognize how significant accessible art is within 2SLGBTQIA+ spaces. Art is a unifying force that implores connectivity and understanding. To be a platform for this kind of connection, radical joy, community, and shared experiences is our privilege.
Dan O’Neill, one artist featured in this Pride exhibition, has a long spanning practice as an artist, professor, and supportive mentor for many artists in Nova Scotia, and across the country. His artist statement reads: “What I follow “in practice” involves engaging freely in “fits and starts” as this is how I move about conceptually. This is a provocative experience which at the core, is focused on self-restoration in perpetuity” His emphasis on care and perpetuity is evident in his work, and essential to the wellbeing of any queer environment; community care and looking out for one another. Dan’s lithograph “Blueboy.01.copy.jpeg” will be featured in the show, along with other work from artists that are pillars of the community, including John Devlin, Drew Quon, Robyn MacKinnon.
Our goal is also to uplift queer emerging artists such as Jennifer Wilson, Max Taylor, Will Imlay, Bailee Higgins, and Jamie Maryatt. Recent NSCAD graduate artist Jamie describes their artistic process at its core as: “a deep connection to landscapes as well as the human form under scrutiny and observation”. As they experiment with different materials and found images, their work acts as an interior and external mapping of what it means to be human, and experience discriminatory energies. Jamie’s painting, “Embrace,” displays the love which defeats, and grows from these experiences of hardship. We deeply value the vulnerability of artists like Jamie and Dan of sharing their stories, memories and artifacts of their identity and existence.
We look forward to next year as Canada Pride 2027 is being hosted in Kjipuktuk. Our mission of commitment, support, visibility, and community will stand as this exhibition becomes an annual tradition.
Kate Armstrong is a Gallery Assistant at Teichert Gallery