Biography
Heather Komus is a multidisciplinary settler artist who received a BFA (Honours) from the University of Manitoba. Her work has been exhibited in Canada and internationally, in England and the United States. Komus has also participated in artist residencies in Florida, Manitoba, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Quebec. Her work has been supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Arts Council, and the Winnipeg Arts Council. Heather Komus lives and works in Treaty 1 Territory, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Artist Statement
My work engages biological and bodily themes as a way of understanding my experiences of grief and loss. I am fascinated by the power of living systems, expressed in microscopic processes like infestations, symbiosis, and parasitism. In particular, I focus on transformation, decomposition, membranes, and areas of science that explore interconnection. For example, I often look for evidence of congruence, like how fungal networks and neurons communicate in a similar manner.
In my art practice I find inspiration in observation, research and exploring landscapes. Investigating disturbed land and invasive species allow me to explore change, loss and human impermanence. My practice spans sculpture, installation, papermaking, and printmaking, using plant matter, fungi, found objects, insects, and animal components. For example, many of my pieces incorporate pig intestine, which has been used for thousands of years in food, as well as to make condoms and musical instruments.
As a settler artist, I am grateful to live and collect materials in Treaty 1 Territory, the home and traditional lands of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Ininew (Cree), and Dakota peoples, and in the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. When I collect materials, I aim to do so respectfully and mindfully. Matter from animals, plants, and insects that were once alive is very powerful, and in my work, they trace my encounters with and experiences of complexity, loss, grief, and connection.