Festival Accès Asie, in collaboration with the Conseil des arts de Montréal, MAI and Maison de la culture Janine-Sutto are pleased to invite the public to visit The Nocturnes, the first solo exhibition by Azalia Kaviani, a visual artist and dancer of Iranian origin living with cerebral palsy. Her paintings and drawings will be on display from May 6th to May 30th, 2021 at the Maison de la culture Janine-Sutto.
Organized by curator Kakim Goh, The Nocturnes explores the imagination of Azalia Kaviani, populated by peaceful landscapes and starry skies. In her works, Azalia stages water, trees, gardens, flowers, animals, and insects to create a world where dreams and angelic desires meet. She wants to take the viewer on an enchanting journey of self-discovery revealing the dance, in constant evolution, between the inner world and the outer world.
This exhibition is the result of an intensive year of work on the ABILITIES Project, a pilot project in inclusive practices that was developed by Festival Accès Asie for the purpose of providing Azalia with adapted training, professional development and accommodation so that she could achieve her artistic and professional goals.
A conference about the project will also take place on Zoom on Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 2 p.m., during which, the public will learn about Azalia’s reality as an artist, her artistic journey and motivationto help persons with disabilities. The team members who accompanied Azalia during the process will also be there to share their experiences about this complex, innovative and inspiring project.
In addition to the artworks, you will be able to view a poetic short film directed by Laurence Ly, which captures the progress of the ABILITIES Project and Azalia’s unique creative process.
The exhibition is free. No reservation needed. Maximum 5 people at a time in the gallery.
You can check the opening hours of the Maison de la culture Janine-Sutto on their website.
The gallery is accessible for people with reduced mobility. The access ramp is located at the corner of Ontario E. and Du Havre streets. If you need assistance, contact reception: [email protected] or 514 872-7882.
Azalia Kaviani was born in Iran and immigrated to Montreal in 2006. She is a visual artist and dancer who has been living with cerebral palsy since childhood. She attended Dawson College and graduated from Concordia University. Azalia exhibited her paintings in 2018 at Galerie Mekic in the two-person exhibition Les Visages and at the SalonEsque collective exhibition at MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) in 2015. From 2015 to 2017, Azalia received support from the MAI Mentorship Program. Her first solo exhibition The Nocturnes is the result of the ABILITIES Project, a pilot project in inclusive practices that was developed by Festival Accès Asie for the purpose of providing Azalia with adapted training, professional development and accommodation so that she could achieve her artistic and professional goals. Through her art, Azalia is motivated by the desire ‘’to inspire people with disabilities to pursue their ambitions, to encourage them not to marginalize themselves.’’
Kakim Goh is a Singaporean-born Montreal-based visual artist, curator, and cultural worker. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from Concordia University. Kakim has a long history of community engagement helping to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion in the education, arts, and culture sectors. He served as Curator of the Visual Arts Program at Festival Accès Asie from 2014 to 2016 and was Vice-President on the Festival’s Board of Directors from 2014 to 2019. He is Treasurer of the Board of Directors at MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) and an Executive Member of the Board of Directors and Co-chair of the Inclusion Committee at the English-Language Arts Network (ELAN). Kakim is an appointed Member of the Evaluation Committee for New Artistic Practices and Multidisciplinary Sector at the Conseil des arts de Montréal.
Laurence Ly is a director, editor, and screenwriter of Cambodian and Vietnamese origin. Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, he has been a Canadian citizen since the age of two. After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) in 2014, Laurence began a self-funded feature film, Marche avec moi (Walk with me), and participated in the “Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma”. In 2017, he obtained a master’s degree from UQAM in communication with a concentration in film and moving images. A devoted filmmaker, director, screenwriter, editor, and producer, Laurence was also a programmer of films for the Festival Nomade de Montréal from 2013 to 2018. Today, he is a videographer and photographer for Festival Accès-Asie and also works at Main Film.
Azalia Kaviani – Visual Artist and Dancer
Kakim Goh – Curator and Project Manager / Professional Development Consultant
Laurence Ly – Photographer and Director