By Abby Luciano, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter NORTH SHORE NEWS
Vancouver artist Casey Wei says she was shocked after finding out she won this year鈥檚 Philip B. Lind Emerging Artist Prize at the Polygon Gallery Thursday evening.
Wei is one of the five artists whose work is now showcased in the Lind Biennial exhibit at the North Vancouver art gallery. The multidisciplinary artist took home a $25,000 cash prize.
Her video installation, The Zhang Clan, spreads across three screens, diving into the story of her mother鈥檚 family immigrating to Melbourne, Australia from China following the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
鈥淚 just think they鈥檙e such interesting people,鈥� Wei said. 鈥淚f I didn鈥檛 make this film, I don鈥檛 think we would have talked about all these things.鈥�
Before the massacre, it was a time of unrest in China, where student-led protests took place in Tiananmen Square demanding democracy, free speech and free press in the country.
Following the death of China communist party leader Hu Yaobang in April 1989, who was working to bring forward a democratic reform, protesters marched through Beijing to Tiananmen Square. By mid-May that year, tens of thousands of people were protesting. On June 4, 1989, Chinese soldiers and police stormed the area, where over 200 people died, and thousands were injured.
Wei鈥檚 video aims to address what can鈥檛 always be said through verbal communication due to language barriers, privacy or trauma, she said. Completing the project has given Wei a deeper understanding of her mother鈥檚 history, but she also hopes people will reflect on their own stories.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like these oral histories that aren鈥檛 the official winners of history get to write the narrative,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 these real experiences of real people, and I think they should be recorded and celebrated.鈥�
The Lind Prize is given to an emerging B.C.-based artist biannually, and is juried by a panel of artists and curators. Artists are nominated by staff and faculty from art institutions, organizations and post-secondary programs across B.C.
The special award launched in 2015 and honours the legacy of Phil Lind, a figure known in the arts and education community for his countless philanthropic efforts. Lind was known as an avid art collector with a love of contemporary photography and B.C. artists. He died on Aug. 20, 2023, his 80th birthday. Last year, the Lind family gave a hefty $1 million donation to ensure the future of the prize.
鈥淥ur father was a lifelong advocate for contemporary art and we knew that expanding the future of the Lind Prize would be an incredible way to commemorate his legacy,鈥� Jed Lind, Phil鈥檚 son, said in a press release.
鈥淭he Lind Biennial will ensure that future generations of young artists have an opportunity to show their work in The Polygon鈥檚 incredible exhibition space and engage in their rich history.鈥�
Jurors were impressed with Wei鈥檚 work, saying it offers insight into personal anecdotes specific to geographic displacement, and 鈥渢ransposes her DIY esthetics and community-based art into a gallery setting.鈥�
The work also shows maturity and great promise, the jurors said in a press release.
Wei says she plans to use her cash prize for studio space, as most of her projects are done at home, along with materials to go towards her next production.
But it鈥檚 more than just a cash prize for the artist, it鈥檚 an opportunity to produce a project with the Polygon Gallery.
The other artists featured in the Lind Biennial are Mena El Shazly, Karice Mitchell, Dion Smith-Dokkie and Parumveer Walia. The Lind Biennial will be on display at the Polygon Gallery until Sunday, Feb. 2.
