Unity in Diversity: Newcomer Art Show & Sale and Citizenship Ceremony

• 1:00 PM-8:00 PM- Art Exhibit open to the public
• 2:00 PM – Citizenship Ceremony
• 5:00 PM –5:30 PM Performance artist Soheila Fallah
• 5:30 PM- Reception and Program with the artists

Saskatoon is celebrating its second annual Welcoming Week, hosted by IPSK. This global event highlights our city’s growing diversity and the value newcomers bring. By welcoming new neighbours, we embrace fresh ideas and opportunities, strengthening our community’s fabric and fostering a more inclusive and vibrant province for all. We welcome you to join us for Unity in Diversity: Newcomer Art Show & Sale and Citizenship Ceremony.

Unity in Diversity: Newcomer Art Show & Sale and Citizenship Ceremony

Celebrate Saskatoon Welcoming Week 2024 with a truly special event as new Canadian citizens are sworn in at TCU Place at 2 PM. This momentous occasion marks the beginning of a new chapter for these individuals, and what better way to honour their journey than through art?

Curator Xiao Han has collaborated with newcomer artists to present a captivating art show themed “Unity in Diversity.” This exhibition aims to uncover these missing images, renewing narratives tied to culture, history and our world. This exhibition will create a space for dialogue, sharing, and the expression of struggles and solidarities among the artists who brought their experience, perspective and technique to the Saskatoon art scene.

With underrepresented stories and experiences of newcomers, we are aiming to cultivate memories, culture and history that cultivate Saskatoon as a welcoming community.

You’ll have the opportunity to not only admire these stunning works but also purchase them, supporting local talent and taking home a piece of this meaningful celebration.

Don’t miss the art show reception at 5:30 PM, where you can meet the artists and engage with their stories. Arrive earlier to witness the Citizenship Ceremony and share in the joy of welcoming new citizens. This event is a perfect way to experience the spirit of Saskatoon Welcoming Week!

Details about the artists

Xiao Han

Xiao Han is a multidisciplinary artist and curator from Wuhan, China. Based in the 6 Territory, the traditional land of Indigenous and Meties, Han’s creative practice focuses on photography, lens-based performance, visualizing emotion, and community engagement. Han’s research explores diaspora identity, contemporary gender issues, and the relationship between humans, the environment, and the indigenous land. Through visual art and curatorial practice, Han produced numerous projects investigating the Chinese-Canadian restaurant history, the identity of home, and the aesthetic of community relationships.

Xiao Han is the Founder of Kyuubi Culture Artist Collective: a Saskatoon-based multidisciplinary artist collective that creates art projects to present their visual narratives through the perspectives of Queer and immigrant artists.

Artist Statement – as an immigrant artist, and a mother.

I am a photograph-based artist-mother who explores topics on diaspora identity, intercultural issues, and relational aesthetics through socially engaged art.

In September 2021, one week after I found out about my pregnancy, I went to Bridges Art Movement’s (BAM) residency with my project “Mahjong House.” It is a performance and community engagement project with a photo booth set up taking place at the BAM gallery, aimed to bridge art, community, and cultures. This project has seen BAM transform into a Mahjong game photography set as I hosts Mahjong games connecting Chinese Mahjong players with diverse communities as they socially play the game together. Because the pandemic has taken away people’s ability to connect, people in Saskatoon’s Chinese community can no longer meet for their regular Mahjong games.

“Mahjong House” successfully gained attention from the community; it has evolved into multiple forms to expand its impact on the community. In February 2022, Mahjong House was taken as a film project and played at the ROXY Theater. In March 2022, Mahjong House was curated by an emerging curator, Avery Creed, at the OCAD University Gallery.

In October 2021, I launched a community-based project, “MIXING RICE,” to facilitate a 6-month-long exhibition for five Saskatoon-based guest artists in three Asian restaurants. This project raises awareness about North American Asian cuisine and provides solidarities to Saskatoon’s Asian community. Through photography, “MIXING RICE” directly responds to the rising anti-Asian stigmas around March 2021.

In Nutrien Winter Shines 2022, I created a project that calls up the residents of River landing to make ice inuksuk. With the connections from multiple communities, I established dialogues and further discussion for the inuksuk history, sustaining the relationship between immigrants, diaspora, settlers, and the Indigenous people. During this project, I was in the second trimester.

Later in May 2022, I created another photograph, “Dough Nation,” collaborating with Chinese Jin Jin Cuisine and a Riversdale Community Fridge, which facilitates fridge and shelf for food sharing. As a gesture of compassion and communication, I organize a series of food-sharing days from May to June, where the dumpling cuisine provides food to the community fridge weekly under a billboard that contains my photograph with the restaurant’s owner’s portrait. “Dough Nation” successfully creates an intercultural dialogue of mutual understanding through food sharing. This project raised awareness and sparked discussions on several social issues surrounding core neighbourhoods in saskatoon, specifically community care and food security. By the time “Dough Nation” was launched, I was 34 weeks pregnant.

Having a child was my biggest concern for continuing my artistic creativity. As a mother of a young child, I worked through my entire pregnancy and early parenthood from September 2021. After the last two years of experience, having a child actually enhanced my art. The parent-child relationship encouraged me to complete more creativities and inspired my work with photography and socially engaged art practice.

Aarti Champak

Aarti Champak, born in 1982 in India, is a self-taught artist whose vibrant creations bridge continents and cultures. Now based in Saskatoon, Canada, Aarti’s work is a dynamic exploration of landscapes, architecture, and a myriad of captivating subjects, rendered in both watercolor and acrylic.

Ahmad Touqani

Ahmad Touqani arrived in Saskatoon in December 2016. He left war-torn Syria for Lebanon and settled as a refugee. Ahmad was a teacher, artist, and graphic designer in his homeland. In Saskatoon, Ahmad has been commissioned by SUM Theatre and has been exhibited at many art shows. Ahmad is a passionate communicator and artist who is driven to share the beauty of the ancient city of Damascus and other parts of his homeland. Ahmad has also been deeply affected by the Saskatchewan landscape, which now forms part of his artistic repertoire. Ahmad uses a variety of media, including oil, watercolor, and acrylic paint. The subjects of these pieces will be landscapes of Saskatchewan, painted from memory and life.
Ahmad’s wish is for more people in Saskatoon to be exposed to his unique perspective and color palette which will help people to understand the differences and connections between people, places, and communities.

Emily Fan

My name is Emily Fan, I am 12 years old. This is a piece of art about diversity and welcoming newcomers to our community. It can encourage more and more people to come to our country. And it is also a way of showing newcomers what our country truly is, a country that is really inclusive and contains lots of colors, voices, languages and cultures. Also, just like the country the people are also welcoming any type of people to join them. It’s because every single person has their own unique color and every type of color makes Canada such a beautiful rainbow to show to the world.

Farah Touqani

Farah Touqani, Ahmad Touqani’s wife, also arrived in Saskatoon in December 2016. They left war-torn Syria for Lebanon and settled as refugees.

Farah Touqani makes many handcrafts, such embroidery on fabric.

Lautaro

Born in Chile in the midst of the military dictatorship, discontent and hope marked Lautaro’s work in art. At the age of 14 he discovered that art would be part of his life, but only after finishing his studies in veterinary medicine, did he decide to study acting and become a theater director. In 2012, when he came to Canada, this was where his love for the visual arts led him to dabble in painting and multimedia art “it was my only way to communicate without words.

Lautaro is currently focused on developing social projects that seek to visualize an honest look into the world of minorities”.

“I paint with my grandmother’s eyes, with the colours that were stolen from me, and with the uncertainty of not knowing who I am.

Painting is my way of communicating what language does not allow me to do. It’s my way of feeling like I’m part of this place” . (Saskatoon.Canada).

Lidiia Gribkova

Lydia Gribkova was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, since March 2024, she has been living and working in Saskatoon, Canada. She studied sculpture at the N.K. Roerich Art School, and later at the Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design. As a versatile artist, she currently leans towards graphic arts and painting, though she also delves into illustration, sculpture, ceramic painting, and performance art.

Despite the lack of overt continuity, Gribkova’s work bears resemblance to the art of the so-called Leningrad Expressionists in many aspects. This includes flatness, simplicity of color, vivid expressiveness, psychological depth in composition and drawing, an inclination towards sketchiness, and a swift execution of work (preferring to select the best rather than toil over refining).

Consistently, in her oeuvre, Lydia Gribkova explores several major themes, notably: motherhood and childhood (one of her favorite motifs being mother and child), man and woman, violence (including war), death, and loss. Music holds a special place in her art.

Mariam Alhmaydi

My name is Mariam Alhmaydi. I am a Syrian artiste, dedicated to capturing the beauty and essence of cultural heritage, self-growth and perseverance. Aims to preserve traditions and memories that are at risk of being forgotten. Now based in Saskatoon, through my art I present the challenges and the experience that I have been through as a refugee. face of change, reflecting upon deep connection to my roots and hope to share this with the world. My image cares about the preservation of culture and expresses my honour in my religion and heritage.

Maryam Qayoom

My name is Maryam Qayoom. I’m in my third year of Fine Arts at the University of Saskatchewan. My main focus is video art and sculpture. I am a Muslim girl from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. I have not had any artistic training until my first year in university with my first course in art, Sculpture 141. My art is always inspired by my religion and my culture.

Olga Shanina

I am a 61-year-old Ukrainian artist and new Canadian specializing in oil and acrylic painting. Previously a university professor in Ukraine, specializing in food technology, I now work with newcomers in Canada, helping them integrate better. My artwork features nature scenes, fields, and everyday objects like vegetables and fruits. Additionally, I create various designs and pieces of home decor. Through my art, I fuse my Ukrainian roots with my Canadian encounters, endeavoring to infuse everyday life with beauty.

I was born in the northeastern part of Ukraine. In 1989 I graduated from the University as a food engineer. During almost my entire life I have worked at the University, starting as an assistant and ending as a professor and a Head of the Department. I have two scientific degrees – Ph.D and Doctor of Technical Sciences.

Sara Arastoozadeh

As an artist with over 8years of experience, I specialize in creating 3D paintings, Basrelief, Relief sculptures, and Resin arts that explore the intersection of tradition and innovation. My journey began in Iran, where I completed over 147 bas-relief paintings that were showcased in local exhibitions. Since moving to Canada, I have continued to evolve my craft, participating in community exhibitions that reflect my experiences as a newcomer. My work embodies a blend of cultural heritage and contemporary expression, aiming to foster a deeper understanding and connection between diverse communities.

Soheila Fallah

Performance Announcement:

“Silent Dialogue,” by artist Soheila Fallah,

Sept 19^th 5:00 – 5:30pm

Born in 1988 in Iran, the artist holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Art-Tehran (2014). Soheila’s artistic journey is a tapestry woven with influences from conceptual art, human figures, Iranian architecture, and religious iconography, manifested in sculptures and installations. Central to her art is viewer interaction, reflecting a commitment to meaningful communication. Through interactive art, she aims to convey deep meaning, foster intercultural understanding, and emotionally connect with the environment. Soheila’s artwork finds meaning in the audience’s reaction, transforming passive spectators into active participants in the creative exploration of physical space.

Inspired by Iranian architecture, the artist wears a distinctive hat that serves as a metaphorical symbol, representing the complexities of identity and belonging. The hat, resembling a dome, encapsulates the artist’s head and shoulders, featuring a solitary aperture at the front. The hat, draped in black fabric, harmonizes with a poncho of matching material and color that cloaks the entire body. Positioned horizontally before this aperture is a cylindrical tube, directly opposite the face, a convex lens is placed within the tube. As spectators approach the artist, they observe a magnified image of the artist’s face through this aperture.

Communication between the audience and the artist transpires solely through this aperture, functioning akin to a peephole. Throughout the duration of the performance, the artist remains seated upon an antiquated wooden chair.

Yuebiao Hunag

Yuebiao Huang, graduated from the China Academy of Art with a major in architectural art, has been a diorama model artist in China. In 2023, he immigrated to Saskatoon, Canada. He was attracted by the beautiful scenery here, so he picked up oil painting again and began to use his brush to describe the beautiful scenery here. At the same time, he also reflected the mentality of being far away from his hometown and feeling at home in his model works.

“Art is a way to express inner feelings, no matter what form it takes.” -Yuebiao Huang

Zhu Junli

My name is Zhou Junli, I am a paper-cutting artist, and I majored in literature and art at university. My graduate major was art theory. I am particularly passionate about Chinese traditional folk art. I visited many excellent paper-cutting artists and studied traditional Chinese paper-cutting techniques with them for a long time.

In 2015, I started studying the art of paper-cutting systematically and professionally. In 2016, he joined the Chinese Cultural Popular Society and was an outstanding member of the Paper-cut Research and Education Center. In 2019, I joined the editorial department of the Chinese Folk Paper-cut Newspaper and was responsible for the editorial work of the newspaper. In addition, my work “Eternal Life” participated in the 2016 Intangible Cultural Heritage on Campus Exhibition. The paper-cut works of students I know have also participated in campus exhibitions many times. In 2021, I was hired as a paper-cut innovation researcher at the Institute of Cultural and Natural Heritage of Nanjing University. I have participated in summer camp activities organized by Open Door in Saskatoon, Canada, cultural activities in the Briarwood community, and traditional cultural activities in Chinese language schools, where I demonstrated traditional Chinese paper-cutting art and taught children how to learn paper-cutting.

Details for the Citizenship Ceremony

• The Location is in the Main Floor Theatre 
• Parking across the Street in Midtown Parking Lot, and on the streets around TCU Place

Details for the Unity in Diversity Art Show

• The location of the art show is the Regal Lobby
• Parking across the Street in Midtown Parking Lot, and on the streets around TCU Place
• Open to all ages to attend

Welcoming Week is a Global Annual Event funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. It is also sponsored by the City of Saskatoon and proudly hosted by the Immigration Partnership Saskatoon. If you have any questions about the event, please contact IPSK.