SIXAHWI, a not-for-profit African-Canadian visual artist collective

Black artists unleash MAS Hysteria

BY: Jason Roberts

There’s a serious lack of recognition of artwork produced by black visual artists today; all you need to do is visit any local art gallery or museum for evidence to support this claim.

There is, however, one group that is aware of this problem and is taking steps to change it. The group is called SIXAHWI (as in “six of us”), a not-for-profit African-Canadian visual artist collective that began in 1993. Though only one original member, Ato Seitu, remains, the vision and goal is to revolutionize how the world sees and appreciates artwork produced by black visual artists, especially here in Canada.

Performing artist and SIXAHWI visual artist Ashley McKenzie-Barnes believes that now is the time for blacks to play a greater role in the Canadian art scene. “Part of the problem is that African-Canadians need to establish a greater presence as power players within the art market, not just as artists but in other key business roles,” says McKenzie-Barnes. “Black visual artists need to make greater efforts to showcase diversity in their works by producing art pieces that appeal to the ever-changing tastes of people within the artistic community who have grown accustomed to expecting certain work from visual artists of colour.”

With that recognition comes a comprehensive new plan developed by the group that includes increasing their membership and the continued development of a comprehensive art project in the making for four years.

In 2009, the group produced “Mas Hysteria,” an exhibit described by members as a “unique” and “unusual” exhibition that integrates elements of music, dance, drama and visual art into a single presentation. The two-venue showcase debuted at Nuit Blanche in October 2009, and later the same month at the Eleanor Winters Art Gallery at York University. The exhibit highlighted the evolution of Trinidad and Tobago’s mas, the world’s largest theatre of the street. The end goal of the display will be to draw attention to the artistic aspects of mas making, which are often overlooked.

Mas Hysteria, inspired by group member Ras Stone, is a multi-disciplinary art exhibit that will, in addition to more traditional arts displays, have wire sculptures and steel pan players in full mas costume. “These elements will serve to demonstrate how various creative aspects of mas making are examined and represented both historically and within a post-colonial context,” says Stone.

The collective feels that this exhibition, and the upcoming work promised by the group in the future, will contribute to the goal of achieving respect and demand for black art within both black communities and the wider public, thus turning a long-standing dream into reality.

“The show must go on. We have to keep pushing the wood in the fire,” says Seitu. “There is a saying in Jamaica:  If you want good your nose has to run.’ We are still pioneers in this time. What we are doing today is really for tomorrow’s generation.”