REGINA, Sask. — The MacKenzie Art Gallery presents Cassils: Movement, an immersive exhibition by internationally recognized visual artist Cassils, on view Sept. 11 to Jan. 4.
Working across performance, photography, film, sound and light, Cassils uses the body as a form of social sculpture to engage histories of LGBTQIA+ violence, representation, struggle, survival, empowerment and systems of care.
According to a MacKenzie Art Gallery press release, at a time when transgender people face severe discrimination, stigma and systemic inequality, Cassils: Movement considers the body as a site of resistance, transformation and self-determination.
The exhibition transforms Cassils’ first work of contemporary dance, Human Measure (2021–ongoing), into a series of interconnected works that explore trans* visibility, embodiment and empowerment. It brings together works that document, reinterpret and extend the original performance across different media, including the photographic series Human Measure Rorschach (2024), the film installation Movement (2024) and the large-scale cyanotype Human Measure (Developed) No. 2 (2021). Created with choreographer Jasmine Albuquerque, Human Measure takes place in a theatre Cassils transformed into an analogue photography darkroom, illuminated by red safety lights. Inside the exhibition, the film installation Movement captures the live dance performance, translating Human Measure into an immersive visual and sonic installation.
“We are grateful to the MacKenzie for the opportunity to share the exhibition, Cassils: Movement, with communities in Regina and are excited for visitors to experience these powerful works,” say Curators Jacqueline Bell and Carol A. Stakenas.
“We hope that the exhibition can serve as a site of gathering throughout its duration as well as during November’s event, when the work will be discussed in the context of Cassils’ larger practice by the artist and Jack Halberstam.”
Opening Event and Curator-Led Exhibition Tour
To welcome Cassils: Movement to the MacKenzie Art Gallery, visitors are invited to join curator Jacqueline Bell for a guided exhibition tour on Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. Bell will lead visitors through the exhibition, offering insight into the works, ideas and conversations that shape movement.
