Artist Tara Kolla has been named as the Yukon Archives artist in residence.
The nine-week residency is part of the ongoing celebrations commemorating the Yukon Archives’ 50th anniversary.
Yukon Archives was established in 1972 and has since worked to acquire, preserve and makes the territory’s documentary resources available, including textual, photographic, audiovisual and cartographic records.
Kolla is a longtime member of the Whitehorse arts community and a multi-disciplinary artist whose work “1905 - 1907” was acquired for the Yukon Permanent Art Collection in 2016.
As part of the residency, Kolla will have access to various materials, facilities and services offered at Yukon Archives. She will also receive an honorarium, a dedicated workspace and access to research assistance from staff, a statement noted.
“The public will also have the opportunity to learn about Kolla’s artistic process as well as the many services and materials available at Yukon Archives,” it read.
Kolla said she is excited to be doing something she loves.
As someone born in the Yukon, she said she feels her art has always spoken of “this place we call home.”
“I call myself a ‘little bit of everything’ artist,” she said. “My work is small-scale/huge-scale multidisciplinary art that finds inspiration in the world around us using everything from traditional mediums, pieces of the natural world to old newspapers, vintage ephemera and bits of lives past that I have collected over the years.”
Kolla said she is proud that her works are in the Yukon Permanent Art Collection, and in homes all over the territory and beyond.
“I love being able to reach the public on a grander scale with my installation work, bringing more people into this little world of mine,” she added. “Looking so forward for this opportunity to work with Yukon Archives and celebrate this place we call home.”
Kolla will be offering artist talks and public engagement as a way of getting more people to visit the archive.
Minister of Tourism and Culture John Streicker, celebrated Kolla’s selection and said he looks forward to “seeing history come alive through art.”
The residence program received 11 applications in total from both new and emerging artists from various disciplines and practices. Yukon Archives plans an exhibition of Kolla’s completed artwork in December.
Contact Patrick Egwu at patrick.egwu@yukon-news.com