Artist Bio
Emma Goudie is a Korean Canadian multidisciplinary artist and a recent graduate from OCAD University, currently based in Hamilton Ontario. Since graduating, Emma has collaborated with local artists on long -term projects and shown her thesis film, “ReBodying”, in the See You Again Arts Festival. She is fortunate to continue her practice with personal projects at home however, eager to continue showing her own independent work in festivals and galleries.
Artist Statement
Underlying my current works of art are themes about post-humanism, hyper-consumerism, and systems of control. Using various materials such as clay, oil painting, and digital media, I create narratives with unique textures and a sense of playfulness to invite viewers into my space.
I am interested in fostering togetherness and encouraging kinship as a means to bring attention to systemic urgencies. Scanning Electron Microcharms (2023) was made in collaboration with the Magic Gumball Machine of Fate in response to Elon Musk’s Neuralink trails on real human brains - his idea of the next step in human evolution. With mini clay sculptures based on microscope photos of seeds and fruit, I called for a reflection on humans’ relationships to the microbial world and urged people to see the potential for evolution that exists in the natural world over a silicon microchip.
The microcharms were covered in ridges and bumps. The microscopic fruit could be felt and explored from the palm of your hand. The charms were physical reminders of a connection to the natural world which viewers could take with them anywhere.
Exploring multiple materials has allowed me to create objects and narratives that excite viewers and incite reflection. I create little worlds with fun details and textures that captivate an audience and give space for contemplation.
I wish to acknowledge the land I have the privilege to create on. I stand on stolen land - Tkaronto - the ancestral and traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe, the Chippewa, and the Huron-Wendat, who are the original owners and custodians of this land. Tkaronto is covered by Treaty 13 (Dish With One Spoon), a treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas, and Haudenosaunee that bound them to share territory and protect the land. The Dish is the land (now known as Southern Ontario) that we all share with only one Spoon. As tenants on this land it is our duty to ensure that the Dish is never empty. This means respecting and caring for the land and the creatures we share it with. We share from a spoon, not a knife. Protect peace. The weight of this message remains to this day. As artists who produce work to been seen, lest we forget that our voices can be heard. This is a gift, and it can be used to speak alongside those who far too often go unheard.
In 2021 Canada accepted over 30,000 refugee claims with nearly 56,000 claims pending as of that December (irb.gc.ca).