Adey Farah is a multidisciplinary artist – but mostly a lover. She is a Toronto-based writer and her work has appeared in Gal-Dem, STREETCRUD and Travel Noire (among other publications). Her artwork will be featured at Is Nothing Sacred?, coming up on January 25th at The Costume House (165 Geary, 2nd Floor). 

We caught up with Farah this week.

SDTC: Can you explain a little bit about who you are and how you came to be involved in this exhibition?

AF: Hi! I commonly define myself as a lover or a weirdo. Lover of the arts; weirdo of all things weird, wacky and zany. My longest running art form has always been writing, but I’m branching into different mediums like installation, mixed media, and I hope painting and ceramics.

I came to be involved in this exhibition because I was selling my earrings over the summer in the gallery, Unlovable, run by Jessica D’Angelo, the Is Nothing Sacred? co-curator. I kept on thinking of the submission date, and what they were asking for in terms of proposal and just felt like now was the right time for me to push myself more fully into my art. I submitted a long, ranty proposal and somehow Kathleen and Jessica said yes!

Why did you want to get involved in this exhibition?

This is my first installation piece ever being exhibited, and I’m excited and extremely nervous for people to walk into a space that I designed. I wanted to get involved with this exhibition because love has always been one of my favourite subjects – both from the point of view of philosophy (Bachelor of Arts Philosophy grad here) but also from the perspective of art (contemporary projects like Miranda July’s Learning To Love You More series).

I think so much of art (be it music, photography, dance, painting or literature) has begun or is rooted in some love. Take, for example, Rumi – he was born in 1207 and is still the best-selling poet in the US. Why? Because so much of Rumi’s poems focus on love – familial love, friendly love, partner love, failing love, lovers failing and falling in and out of love. I wanted to get involved because felt like finally I could turn my love (philo) of love into some sort of art for others to share and experience.

What can participants expect to see/experience at this show?

Without giving all the surprises away, participants can expect to see a small set come to life. This set design includes a focal point to navigate the journey of love over ten years, two years, one day, twenty-seven years – AKA my entire life story and stories of my loves, and there have been sooooo many. There’ll be trinkets I’ve collected over my life that all reflect upon some form of love. There’ll be so many pieces. I’d say pay attention to the pieces that draw you in, and remind you of a time – be it good or bad – where you loved someone, or someone loved you.

What underlying themes were going through your mind as you put this project together?

Love is at the basis of humanity. I love love. I love art. I should be making art that is rooted in love.