Flowing Forms, Transforming Selves

This residency was inspired by the work of visual artist Firelei Báez and her exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Báez’s art weaves together history, culture, and identity through vibrant, layered visuals that often feel cinematic. Her work informed the structure of the residency, where students were invited to explore storytelling, gesture, and self-reflection across a range of media and approaches.

Students engaged with themes central to Báez’s practice: identity, transition, history, and transformation. Some activities were direct in their narrative focus, such as creating stop motion animations inspired by the Dominican myth of the Ciguapa, combining storytelling with animation techniques.

Other projects emphasized process over product. Students experimented with maps, ink, pastels, and patterned paper, using these materials to explore personal and cultural identity. We also introduced natural inks on Yupo paper, a non-absorbent surface that encouraged experimentation and letting go of control—mirroring Báez’s own intuitive use of fluid materials.

To connect with Báez’s exploration of mythology and nature, students created imaginative creatures using natural materials like leaves, sticks, and feathers. This continued the theme of transition and transformation, while deepening their connection to the natural world and personal symbolism.

Reflecting the diverse techniques and themes in Báez’s work, the residency provided varied opportunities for creative exploration. Through this multidisciplinary approach, students considered who they are, where they come from, and how art can be a means of storytelling and resilience.