We Were Never Lost
April 9 - May 3
Developed as part of the 2025-2026 Master of Museum Studies Capstone Projects course at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information, We Were Never Lost highlights the use of creative practices by queer Black women and women of color as tools for survival and community building in Canada. This exhibition showcases the contributions and legacies of Sister Vision Press, Fireweed Collective, and Multicultural Women in Concert/CAMP SIS, tracking how these movements built on each other and created platforms for those who had been silenced due to racism, sexism and homophobia.
From the mid 1980s to the early 2000s, each of these groups created space for the radical self-expressions of queer and racialized women, including dance, visual arts, dub poetry, oral histories, incisive political essays, and more. These artists spoke out on critical issues facing their communities, like labour, migration, and racism.
This exhibition will showcase selected publications, photographs, ephemera, and quotes from participants in these movements, as well as examples of how this deeply political work continues today.
Please join us for an opening reception on April 9th from 6-8pm
Open times and dates:
Fridays 4pm – 8pm, Saturdays 11am – 3pm, Sundays 11am – 3pm.
Or by appointment – email curatorial@arquives.ca
Thank you to Dr. Afua Cooper, Anjula Gogia, Courtnay McFarlane, Faith Nolan, Felicity Tayler, Gabrielle Mandel, Dr. Meghan Tibbits-Lamirande, Whitney French, Dr. Ronald Cummings, and Dr. Syrus Marcus Ware for your incredible generosity with your time, knowledge, and memories.
The team wishes to thank Dr. Maggie Hutcheson, our project mentor, and Raegan Swanson, as well as Daniel Payne, Hannah Dickson, Jade Nelson, Patrick Taylor, Stefanie Martin, and Syriah Bailey.
Curated by Abla Touglo Midodji, Emily Coneybeare, Cameron Findlay, and Zhikall Kakei, as part of the Master of Museum Studies program at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information, in collaboration with The ArQuives Curatorial Committee.