Artist Statement

The importance of gathering objects of desire, the inevitable mortality of memory, and nostalgia for the obsolescent are what drives me to make images. Pictures embody a trace of time, fulfilling our desire to connect to the past. I am drawn to photography because of its sentimental nature; With the ability to take form virtually and physically, pictures act as links to our past by harbouring memories and evoking desire. My goal is to engage the viewer in a way that makes them question their own perception of what is natural. I am drawn to the passage of time, hedonistic materiality, and the tangibility of our identity through accumulated objects.

I am currently exploring notions of sentimentality by examining ancestral histories, landscapes, and stereotypes of femininity.

Biography

Katherine Nakaska is a photo based artist and educator raised in K'jipuktuk (Halifax) Nova Scotia, who lives in Tkaronto (Toronto), Ontario.

With a proclivity for image making, Katherine received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from NSCAD University, focusing on Photography and Art History. Her work has been exhibited in Halifax and Toronto, and she has instructed analogue photography classes since 2014. During her time at NSCAD, Katherine curated the 2015 Graduation Exhibition, was granted the Roloff Beny Photography scholarship, and was awarded the Governor General’s Silver Academic Medal for outstanding achievement in her undergrad. Her work has been reviewed in the Chronicle Herald, The Coast, and PhotoEd Magazine. Katherine was long-listed for the 2019 New Generation Photography Award.

Katherine has documented events and art exhibitions for NSCAD University, Mount Saint Vincent University, Canadian Art, the International Conference for Fine Art Deans, and countless artists in Nova Scotia. Katherine is currently working as an artist and optician in Toronto.