Exhibition June 9th – August 11th.
Opens June 9th, 5 – 8 PM
Stev’nn Hall
Mixed media artist/bio
As a gay kid growing up in small-town Ontario, Hall faced bullying at school and struggled in his relationships with other male figures, including his father.
His relationship with his Dad was transformed after a car accident when he witnessed his father frantic in the aftermath, his face covered in blood. At that moment, the man who was usually commanding became someone who had lost the veneer of control. Hall was struck by the vulnerable nature of the human condition, and this haunting image has influenced his paintings and photography of men – often depicting them as injured, distressed or isolated.
“It was my father’s struggle and inability to find composure that had caught my attention – and because of all the bullying, threats and physical attacks I had with other boys at school – I could relate with his lack of composure, his inward struggle to find equilibrium in a moment of immediate distress and violence”.
As an artist, Hall felt inspired to illustrate these ideas through his own lens. His male portrait series attempts to address the male figure’s duality as strong and weak, threatening and vulnerable, wounded and stoic.
Viewings Monday through Friday 10 AM – 4 PM or by appointment.
Location: CoWork Gallery
301-270 Sherman Avenue North, Hamilton ON
