Questions and Answers (Q&A) for Artist Garvin Chinnia:

Q1) Despite challenges and barriers what motivates you to continue to persevere in the Art World? And why?
Community, community, and community. It’s because of my friends, my colleagues, my community of practice, that I have been able to continue in and persevere through the Art World. My friends Berlynn Beam and Chase Keetley, founders of Black Arts Vancouver, in a very real way supported and uplifted me through a tough couple of years. By welcoming me into the organization, I have been able to not only pursue my historical and art training, but also other interests of mine. Interests and practices including terrariums, and palaeoart. Through this grassroots organization, I am not only able to expand my practice, but teach other community members about these varied topics.

Q2) Outside of the Art world do you have any other hobbies/interests?
This is a difficult question to answer, due to the intersections and entanglements of my other interests into my art practice. But, if we are to differentiate from the “Art World”, I would say a couple of other interests as follow: I have a healthy interest in all things space related. I would love to be one of those first groups of pioneers to go out into the solar system and see what surprises the other planets in the Sol system have to offer. My interest really stems from the possibility of life beyond our own planet, and integrating my interests in biology and palaeontology with possible exoplanet exploration. If we manage to make it to Mars, we are that much closer to Jupiter, and the moons that compose the Jovian system. Europa is of special interest due to its subsurface ocean, and tantalizing markings on the surface, which one study postulates might be the evidence of bacterial existence there, due to similar spectrographic comparisons from those images to certain extremophile organisms here on Earth. And that’s just among a couple of popular planets! Venus is looking to be a more dynamic, and possibly even a life-hosting planet. These are exciting times for any sort of exoplanet study, and that’s not even bringing up the newly launched James Webb Space Telescope. Did I mention I like space? Living and growing up in Alberta has given me a unique access to palaeontology. I can’t walk along a sidewalk without noticing and collecting pieces of petrified wood. Working in earthworks construction gave me access to more of that, along with amber, and fossilized marine life. I have a spot not far from where I live that I collect fossilized clams when the weather makes it accessible. This is something I would like to pursue and explore for both its scientific merits as well as its inspiration for my artistic practice.

Q3) Any advice for upcoming/ or BIPOC artists venturing into the art world or wanting to showcase their work?
The existence of a stable community network cannot be understated. I was able to show my work and collaborate on shows, because of the relationships I had made with other black artists at school. What started out as school friendships became long lasting relationships with others seeking to oppose institutional barriers and opening up our own spaces in which to show and make work. By founding Black Arts Vancouver, my friends Berlynn Beam and Chase Keetley opened up space and opportunities for the community, myself included. We have power in numbers, and we seek to create more power and possibility by opening up spaces where we can work and use our skills gathered over years of hard work. At the end of the day, we are lifted when we lift each other.