MUSE: Celebration
Sydney Hanson, In Graphic Detail | Photo: Courtesy of MUSE Magazine
MUSE Magazine
Project Room
September 23–October 12, 2024
Curated by Carolyn Kane
Visual artists: Valerie Camila, Harvey Doniego, Sydney Hanson, Keira Sainsbury, Amelia Tran
Writers: Nicole Dancey, Reagan Feld, Liz Gonzalez, Jillian Morris, Midhat Mujaddid, Cassidy Rae, Dalyah Schiarizza, Jaimie Sieger
MUSE: Celebration transforms Union Gallery’s Project Room into a photo booth and celebratory tribute to publications past and present. The walls will become like pages of the magazine and feature new work by current Queen’s BFA student Sydney Hanson, as well as art and writing from past issues of MUSE.
CURATORIAL STATEMENT
Carolyn Kane is a fourth year art history student at Queen’s University interested in ways to make art more interactive and accessible to all. Over the past two years she has been the Arts Editor at MUSE Magazine. During her time at MUSE, she has been able to share her love and excitement about the art world. Through her role, she hopes to give writers the opportunity to express themselves, for readers to feel seen and to discover new perspectives. In MUSE: Celebration, Carolyn has incorporated interactive elements for visitors to contribute to the installation in a way that is anonymous and personal. Carolyn felt artist Sydney Hanson was the natural choice for this exhibit due to her focus on vivid botanical elements and her position as Head Illustrator at MUSE. Photography is another passion of Carolyn’s and she invites all to take selfies inside the space to memorialize themselves within the artwork. Exciting visual elements like tinsel, mirror tiles, and vibrantly coloured artworks make for an immersive and joyful experience. Carolyn is thrilled to be given the opportunity to curate at Union Gallery—as both a visitor and volunteer, she loves their mission.
Muse Magazine was first conceived by three Queen’s students enthusiastic about the arts. The first issue of MUSE Magazine was named The Explosion and launched in February 2011. Since, MUSE Magazine has developed an online media platform, continuing to push artistic boundaries and conventions. MUSE Magazine is a tribute to the innovative, the unique, the fashion forward, and stylistically creative. It embodies those who diverge from the status quo and celebrates beauty in unconventional and overlooked places.
Conceived in CoGro as an ambitious dream scribbled on a few pieces of lined paper, MUSE Magazine emerged as the brainchild of three artistically enthusiastic students: “Z, T, & C. ” The first issue, named The Explosion, was launched in February 2011. More recently, MUSE has created an online media platform, pushing artistic conventions. The purpose of MUSE at its very core is to exist as a tribute to the innovative, the unique, the fashion-forward, and the stylistically creative. It is a nod of gratitude to those who break the mould and expose beauty in places we may overlook in our daily student adventure.
SYDNEY HANSON
Sydney Hanson, Soundtrack of a Generation | Photo: Courtesy of MUSE Magazine
Sydney Hanson is a fine arts student here at Queen’s embarking on her final year, while also serving as the head illustrator for MUSE magazine. Over the past two years MUSE has provided her with a space to express herself creatively and collaborate with other like-minded people, bringing their stories and experiences to life through her illustrative work.
In her artistic practice as a painter and printmaker, she uses a vibrant palette and often depicts flowers in her work, using the different connotations of each type to add context and meaning to her compositions. Her recent painting titled “flourish” depicts white lilies in full bloom, which symbolize the blossoming creativity and refreshing spirit of MUSE as they foster a true sense of community and creative growth in all of its members and viewers.
She is thrilled to be exhibiting her work alongside MUSE Magazine and within Union Gallery, a space that has also dedicated themselves to the creative student body at Queen’s, providing them with a safe space to express themselves freely. She hopes to bring a sense of joy for viewers.
THANKS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
From the curator: Thank you to Dalyah Schiarizza-Lawson, Rhea Matura, and Sydney Hanson. Thank you to MUSE members present, past, and future. I dedicate this exhibit to my grandmother, who taught me that every day should be celebrated, and to my mother, for reminding me that life is always worth celebrating.