BAND Offsite 2024: Elicser Elliott, Hazelle Palmer, Jamie Ellis Pasquale, and Audra Townsend

This year marks our third collaboration with Black Artists’ Networks in Dialogue (BAND) Gallery and Cultural Centre to host BAND Offsite. Four exciting early-career Black artists Elicser Elliott, Hazelle Palmer, Jamie Ellis Pasquale, and Audra Townsend, will be featured in a group exhibition at Nicholas Metivier Gallery on view from Saturday, July 20th - Friday, August 9th.

Most widely recognized for his work with aerosol, Elliott's one-of-a-kind murals and graffiti works adorn streets, sidewalks, and buildings across Toronto and further abroad in Central and South America and South Africa. His character-based, narrative imagery conveys expressive perceptions of a range of subjects from local children on the street to late pop-culture icons such as Michael Jackson and J Dilla.

Palmer draws inspiration from her Caribbean heritage and childhood memories, reflected in her dynamic use of rich, rustic tones. Exploring the role of color in shaping identity, she employs texture and patterns to animate her subjects. Her artistic style spans from abstract to collage to figurative depictions, always embracing imperfection as a symbol of the challenges of fitting in.

Pasquale is a multidisciplinary artist whose work delves into themes of ancestral memory, urban environments, cultural histories, and spirituality rooted in African and Afro-indigenous traditions. Through his practice, he sparks conversations on environmental issues like ecology and urbanism, exploring the impacts of growth and decline on global mega cities. Pasquale's oeuvre combines abstract and figurative forms, reflecting his observations of nature and contemporary society.

Townsend combines her background in Sociocultural Anthropology with her passion for art. She sees art as a reflection of humanity's curiosity about the world. Through intuitive and tactile approaches, Townsend explores the human experience, employing crisscrossing lines and various materials like sand, stone, and even Shin Noodle packaging.