Jovita Akahome, Allan André, Banggz, LuCille Giwa-Amu, Felicity Hauwert, Annita Kayiba, Roni Kouassi, Alex Mushyirahamwe, Sabrina Niyigaruye, Dion Prints
Opening Reception: July 9, 2025
What is Blackness, and how does it manifest on this land?
In Sight, not Seeing, Black artists grapple with the tension between visibility and invisibility in Canada. This exhibition challenges how representation is shaped—and often distorted—by colonial legacies. Through diverse media, the artists invite critical reflection on how ideas of Blackness are constructed, circulated, and internalized across media, visual culture, and everyday life.
Curator: Sandra Ngenge Dusabe
French Translation: Marie-Camille Lalande
Editing: Rebecca Basciano, Meghan Ho
Designer: Sophie Nakashima, elsonstudio
Installation: Dan Austin, Rob Keefe
This exhibition is developed through the Curatorial Fellowship Program, designed to support the career growth of emerging Black Canadian curators. This innovative program is a partnership between the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG), the Ottawa Black Art Kollective (OBAK) and the National Gallery of Canada (NGC).
Special thanks to all those who helped bring this exhibition to life; I’m especially grateful to the Ottawa Art Gallery team—Rebecca Basciano, Meghan Ho, Dan Austin, Rob Keefe, and Amity Bradbury—for their dedication and support. Heartfelt thanks to Christine Elson of elsonstudio for her generous mentorship and guidance on the exhibition layout; to Deanna Bowen for her insightful counsel on the project’s philosophical direction; to Monique Fuller and Evelyn Duberry for their steadfast belief in the vision; and to Éloïse Mutombo, whose contributions were foundational in the show’s early development. – Sandra Ngenge Dusabe
50 Mackenzie King Bridge, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 0C5, CANADA
Mailing Address: 10 Daly Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1N 6E2 | Rideau O-Train Station
Ottawa Art Gallery is situated on traditional Anishinābe Aki.
Charitable No. 137078960RR0001
Open from 10 AM to 6 PM Tuesday and Sunday and from 10 AM to 9 PM Wednesday to Saturday. Closed on Mondays. Admission is always FREE. | Support the Bill Staubi Acquisition Fund.
