Syrus Marcus Ware & James Fowler
Syrus Marcus Ware is a visual artist, community activist, researcher, youth-advocate and educator. He is the Program Coordinator of the AGO Youth Program, Art Gallery of Ontario. As a visual artist, Syrus works within the mediums of painting, installation and performance to challenge systemic oppression. Syrus’ work explores the spaces between and around identities; acting as provocations to our understandings of gender, sexuality and race. His work has been exhibited at the Art Gallery of York University (AGYU), Gladstone Hotel, ASpace Gallery, Harbourfront Centre, SPIN Gallery and other galleries across the city. His work has been reproduced in FUSE Magazine, The Globe and Mail, THIS Magazine, Blackness and Sexualities amongst others. His work has also been included in several academic journals including Small Axe and Women and Environment International.
In 2013, Syrus was invited to be part of the Canadian Jury for the Inside Out LGBT Film and Video Festival in Toronto. In 2005, Syrus was voted “Best Queer Activist” by Now Magazine, and in 2012 he was awarded the Steinert and Ferreiro Award for LGBT community leadership and activism. For the past 10 years, Syrus has worked with Blackness Yes! to produce Blockorama (the black queer and trans stage at Pride), and other related events throughout the year. Syrus is a past program committee member for Mayworks Festival, and is a past board member of the FUSE magazine. For the past 15 years, Syrus has hosted the weekly radio segment, “Resistance on the Sound Dial” heard each Saturday on CIUT 89.5FM. Syrus holds degrees in Art History, Visual Studies and a Masters in Sociology and Equity Studies, University of Toronto.
James Fowler’s practice as a visual artist is well complimented by his curatorial pursuits and his community involvement with Toronto’s LGBTQ communities. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film and English from York University and his early career background in photography and film, and his sales experience at Canada Newswire have allowed him to build a unique skill set well suited for arts administration.
James was the Social Media Director at Akimbo Art Promotions from 2011 to 2013 and has participated in panel discussions and public speaking about social media and the arts. He is a regular consultant for arts organizations on best practices and has written social media policy. James was an active member of the Marketing and Communications Committee for Pride Toronto to prepare for World Pride in 2014.
Seeing a need for visual arts programming at Toronto’s annual Pride event, in 2010 James founded the 10×10 Photography Project, an annual portrait exhibition at the historic Gladstone Hotel featuring ten of Canada’s talented LGBTQ photographers and celebrating one hundred Queer Canadians who have contributed to the arts either through a creative practice or as an arts worker or philanthropist.
James is represented by Oeno Gallery in Ontario.
churchstreetmurals 