March 10th – 16th, 2025
Closing Reception: Sunday, March 16th | 6 – 9PM
Alysha Aran, Charlie Saltzman, Luciel Zeng, Tahmia Thomas, and Theodora Oyinloye
Curated by Sydni Soobratee
Fragments of Fabrication is a transformative exhibition exploring the multifaceted ways family, identity, and resilience intersect, featuring a diverse group of contemporary artists whose works delve into memory, sacrifice, loss, and newfound family. Through multimedia installations, photography, and mixed media, artists have provided a deeply personal perspective of how sacrifice and immigration have shaped their identities and relationships. This exhibition also examines the themes of the chosen family; through zines and multimedia works, artists Luciel Zeng and Charlie Saltzman embrace their Queer and Trans identity, highlighting acceptance, resilience and community. Alongside, through photography and multimedia installations, artists Tahmia Thomas, Alysha Aran and Theodora Oyinloye explore themes of memory, cultural heritage and intergenerational storytelling.
Through the use of everyday objects and familiar motifs, Fragments of Fabrication allows individuals to connect with, reflect on, and engage with powerful themes of memory, identity, and family.
About the Artists
Alysha Aran is a multi-disciplinary artist from Hamilton, ON. In her work, she is interested in memories of her ancestors and family traditions, which help navigate personhood amongst histories of assimilation. She explores how to represent cultural ties and tears through oil painting and reworking found material. Aran’s work also considers the history between the East and the West, including migration waves and exported material goods. Aran is completing her BFA in Studio Art at McMaster University, including a minor in Art History and a Concurrent Certificate of Curatorial Studies.
Charlie Saltzman (he/him) is a queer and trans interdisciplinary artist. Mainly working in theatre and film, photography, printmaking, and fiber arts. His work explores queer identities and histories, sex and intimacy, nostalgia and self-perception.
Luciel Zeng (he / him) is a poly-disciplinary artist that loves making zines, digital paintings, 3D models, ceramics, prints, and much more. With his art, he investigates themes of identity and belonging as he navigates the world in the body of a QTPOC.
Tahmia Thomas is a Brantford-based artist and McMaster University student exploring identity, faith, realism, and the complexities of daily life and societal challenges. Working across painting, photography, and mixed media, she takes a process-driven approach to storytelling, capturing both personal and collective narratives with care and detail. Through printmaking, sculpture, and digital media, her work sparks connection, reflection, and dialogue—encouraging deeper thought about the struggles and rhythms of everyday life.
Theodora Oyinloye is a Black interdisciplinary artist located on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe peoples in so-called Hamilton, Ontario. She engages with critical discourse relevant to black existence and confronts the placement of whiteness as an aspirational ideal. Oyinloye has appeared in numerous exhibitions and is on track to receive her Honours Bachelors of fine arts at McMaster University with a minor of English and Cultural Studies and a Concurrent Curatorial studies.
Curated by Sydni Soobratee with support from Fernanda de Oliveira Ribeiro and Sofia Nunes
About Factory Media Centre
Factory Media Centre is Hamilton’s not-for-profit artist-driven resource centre for film, video, new media, installation, sound art, and other multimedia art forms. Our mission is to develop and support a vibrant, sustainable, creative, and diverse community of Members and non-Members within Hamilton and its surrounding region.