Exploring & Defining a Sense of Belonging Through This Project

When I was first approached with this possibility of contributing to the project, Professor Austen explained that she and her team are exploring how representations of the visual arts are deployed in contemporary Canadian literature to navigate experiences of (un)belonging. Ever since I began my work as a research assistant, I’ve been deeply fascinated by the challenges of defining and evaluating others' feelings of belonging. The onus of this undertaking is immense, and it is a significant responsibility.

Conceptualizing the sense of belonging or (un)belonging is tricky because it is innately subjective. Each person's expression of belongingness is beautifully unique. Art, however, can better the exchange of communicating – and understanding – feelings of belongingness.

No one demonstrates this subjectiveness of belonging more than Roy Kiyooka, a notable Canadian artist who is a major figure in this project’s research work. As I perused through various artifacts and coded the themes related to belonging, I noticed that Kiyooka never stuck to one form or method of artmaking: painting, poetry, photography, filmmaking, and music were all a part of his repertoire, rejecting and switching his modalities often. His motivation to move to a different artistic medium was never explicitly defined, but I learned something new through each of his various types of work. What one can express in a painting is much different than what one can express in a poem or short story. It is certainly quite clear that a singular form of expression was insufficient in expressing his emotions and feelings, which often had to do with themes of belonging and unbelonging. Conversely, I wonder how the many artistic forms empower Kiyooka to paint a fuller, more complete picture of his emotions and message.

I was fortunate to be a part of interviewing Lamees Al Ethari, a scholar at the University of Waterloo. During our discussion, Lamees eloquently touched on the efficacy of the mode or style of artistic creation in relation to communicating feelings of belonging. In her work, Lamees aims to complement – or extend – her writing through visual representations.

Determining the method of artistic expression, as in the case of Kiyooka and Al Ethari, speaks to the challenges of effectively expressing feelings of belonging. Neither painting nor writings alone cuts it because of the sheer complexity of emoting this profoundly personal experience. I have learned that one way we can gain a sense of understanding about how others experience belonging is by appreciating multiple forms of artistic expression.  

Interestingly, an unexpected by-product of my involvement in this project was affording me the opportunity to assess, critique, and uncover my personal understanding of belonging. The feeling of belonging – or unbelonging – is significantly influenced by collective experiences, which often can have a profound impact on the individuals involved. Artistic expression is frequently used by those who have been displaced by forced migration or exile because the experience of art creation can be incredibly therapeutic, and the product of the artistic expression can communicate emotions and feelings that are not possible through verbal means.

In 2019, UNICEF produced an artistic exhibition featuring visual art created by children between the ages of 7 and 18 who were impacted by forced migration, exploring themes of their experiences. Details of this project can be found here. One particular mural expresses the forced abandonment of one’s home and the unfathomable toll of what is left behind when one is forcibly exiled from their home. Absorbing the beauty and gravity of this visual art piece, I began to grasp that home is far more multifarious than I had conceptualized prior to this project. It symbolizes safety and security, familiarity, stability, and so much more. In essence, home represents the essential intangible aspects of life, stabilizing a sense of belonging.

The visual representations presented in UNICEF’s project ignited a serious moment of self-reflection. I thought a lot about a painting I have hanging in my office, adjacent to my desk. In fact, I am looking at it as I write this sentence:

My grandma, Barbra, painted this picture of me and my grandpa in 2006.

My grandmother and I created this painting together when I was about 6 or 7 years old. “Together” is a little bit of stretch; she did most of the work, and I cleaned the brushes and tried to stay out of the way. I remember loving every moment spent working on this painting. It was initially inspired by my enjoyment of our family cottage in Muskoka, Ontario and my relationship with my grandfather. The one inaccuracy is our family only had one family dog, not three. To me, this painting represents my home – my belonging. Throughout the actual creation of this painting and the significance it still holds presently, I realized I have never questioned my belonging for my entire life; it has always been stable.

Before contributing to this project, my understanding of home was trite and unvarnished. Superficially, I thought of my home as the physical space I occupy. Extending the notion of home beyond one’s physical, geographical location was novel. After further reflection and learning throughout this project, home is so much more than that. My family and friends are home. The painting in my office explicitly represents this notion. My job, education, and research interests are my home. These important facets make me feel that I belong.

For my entire life, home – and all of the things representative of this – has been consistent, welcoming, and safe. As a result, I have never really felt like I don’t belong somewhere, an experience that must be acknowledged as incredibly privileged. Learning from Lamees Al Ethari, the UNICEF’s art exhibition and Roy Kiyooka has transformed my understanding of belonging and, even more importantly, to appreciate my sense of belonging.