Photo Credit: Manpreet Singh
Yong Fei Guan
What does it mean to you to be an artist working in Edmonton?
For the past five years since I became a mother, my art has addressed the notion of my identity and my relationship to Edmonton. I also question the concept of “other” and “home”. Some people say that immigrants should go back to their homeland. Do we not belong? How long does one need to be here to be considered part of the local community? For thousands of years humanity has migrated to different places. For me, Edmonton is home. I hope people can relate to my work and bring each of us a bit closer to home.
What is the Edmonton art scene to you?
Edmonton has a welcoming art community. It seems everyone knows each other and supports each other. Also, there are many organizations to help artists find the resources that they need. My favorite organization is the Edmonton Arts Council who financially supports artists on a regular basis. Despite that Edmontonians have different political views, we look after each other. Perhaps because we have a brutal five-month long winter, we know that we need each other to survive. Like many other immigrants that settle down in Edmonton, it is important for me to build a home here for my family.
Be sure to catch Yong Fei Guan in The Scene at your AGA in 2021 (stay tuned for our re-opening announcement).
