Introducing Me
By: Kat Murphy
Hello and welcome to my first blog post!
My name is Kat Murphy and I am Artspace’s Programming and Community Engagement Intern. I recently completed postgraduate studies at Fleming College in the Museum Management and Curatorship program, and having done an internship over the summer at Artspace as part of my final semester of schooling, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to be involved.
One of the things I love about programming is that in addition to providing opportunities for engagement with the artworks on exhibition, we welcome folks into Artspace who might not otherwise feel like they belong in a gallery. Museums and art galleries can sometimes feel like they are meant for a certain demographic, especially due to the colonial practices and exclusionary language in use on the part of some institutions. I believe that museums and art galleries are for everyone and should aim - when they have the resources for it - to use inclusive language, be affordable or free, and provide accessible and easy-to-navigate floorplans. As such, my time at Artspace is being put toward contributing to a positive outward effect on the community and encouraging everyone to connect with art in meaningful ways and with minimal barriers. Every person is unique and connects with the world around them in different and beautiful ways. They should be able to connect their own stories to those curated by the institutions that present, art, culture, and history to the world.
One of the ways that I participate in visual culture is through fashion and cosplay.
To me, it is a form of self-expression and outlet for creativity. By combining colours, patterns, and shapes I can create different ways of communicating who I am through what I wear. Since highschool, I have been experimenting with fashion, and have in recent years begun to delve more into it as a means of art rather than utility. I often attend Renaissance and Medieval Faires, along with various conventions, and this has influenced my love for fashion. It has branched outwards into cosplay and faire garb which takes the creativity in fashion a step further through inspiration taken from fantasy, TV shows, favourite characters, and more. I find it to be a fun form of self-expression and a way to make social connections in a unique environment otherwise unavailable in my day-to-day life.
From left to right:
Fergus Medieval Faire 2024 - elf garb based around my peacock corset made by Syl-Tori Designs
FanExpo Toronto 2024 - Sith cosplay (Star Wars)
Ottawa Comiccon - Crocodile cosplay (One Piece)
Waterloo Medieval Faire 2024 - elf garb where I focused on using bright colours
The goal with my artwork in the coming years is to focus on sustainability in fashion and what I can do better to be mindful of the textile waste that is currently a major pollutant. One of my current goals is to ensure that most of my cosplay and Faire garb can be integrated into day-to-day outfits to prevent them from being wasteful. I also hope to improve my sewing skills so I can better preserve my clothing and prevent wasteful purchases and extend the life of what I wear. If you want to make fashion sustainable for yourself, thrifting, vintage shops, and consignment stores are a fantastic way to give clothing a second life. I encourage people to try there first when aiming to expand their closet or put together a costume.
Thank you for reading. I will be taking over the Artspace blog for the next while, and I will be highlighting aspects of the art community in Peterborough/Nogojiwanong. I hope that you will continue to tune in.
Goodbye until next time, and don’t forget, you are always welcome at Artspace.
