This summer, an animation of Chosen Family, a permanent installation in Halifax/Kjipuktuk by non-binary, transgender and queer artist Mr. Margot Durling will be adapted to illuminate the Kipnes Lantern. The vibrant work is a colourful celebration of gender identities, sexualities, and relationships.
Durling is a visual artist and Creative Director at Fathom Studio in Dartmouth who were recently shortlisted to design a National Monument for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Ottawa.
For the original installation (at the Halifax Common), Durling playfully altered the traditional female and male symbols to create a colourful alphabet—a universal language that speaks to our interconnectedness.
“The whole idea behind the installation is to invite people to think beyond the binary. While the term non-binary is relatively new, gender non-conforming people have actually existed for a long time,” explained Durling, who uses they/them pronouns.
Positive representations can play an important role in creating an environment of acceptance, inclusion and belonging—especially for those who have historically been excluded, marginalized, or misrepresented.
Featured for the first time on National Non-Binary People’s Day and during Ottawa’s Pride celebrations, Margot Durling’s Chosen Family lights up the Kipnes Lantern once again for Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR). TDoR is an annual observance on November 20 that honours the memory of…
MARGOT DURLING’S CHOSEN FAMILY CELEBRATES GENDER BEYOND THE BINARY New animation representing the diversity of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities aims to make youth feel valued, supported, and safe. “By supporting this work, the NAC is saying ‘we don’t just believe in this message for this time of…
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