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Gio Swaby Headshot 1.jpeg

About Me

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Gio Swaby was born and raised in Nassau, The Bahamas and is currently based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

 

She is an interdisciplinary artist exploring the intersections of Blackness and womanhood. Swaby's mother, Judy Carey-Swaby, taught her to sew as a young girl and she now creates portraits using a range of textile-based techniques.

 

Swaby’s work is included in collections of the Brooklyn Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Gallery of Canada, the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas and more.

Image by Tony Gebrehiwot

Artist Statement

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My research centers on an exploration of Blackness and Womanhood through textile- based portraiture. Working through the lens of Black feminist thought, I have investigated restorative modes of resistance and constructed a supportive framework by which to utilize them. This work is an inquiry into the portrait as a tool of resistance and is motivated by the desire to represent Black women in a way that is nuanced, multilayered and honest.

 

My research asks the question of how Black women can navigate vulnerability in such a way that agency and power is maintained. At its core, this research is rooted in love and itself is an expression of love. It is a celebration of Blackness and creates space for Black people, especially Black women and girls, to be represented with honour and reverence.

 

The tangible works created throughout this process come after the work of visiting, sharing and cultivating connection between myself and the people that have graciously participated in the process.​​

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