In the face of major social and environmental changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis, questions of connectedness, subjectivity, and—at its very essence—humanity have become emphasized. Such inquiries reflect a profound decentering of humans from any sense of invincibility, acknowledging that being human means being a part of nature. As Donna Haraway describes “we are all compost, not posthuman.” (161) The implication of our ‘compostness’ expands far beyond simply being biodegradable; it entangles humans within a beautiful and complex web of human and non-human kin. Intertwined in these silky strands, multispecies assemblages engage in processes of world-becoming.

From time immemorial, humans have influenced and been influenced by the non-human living organisms that co-produce our world. With the transition to the era of the so-called Anthropocene, these interactions have become increasingly significant. Looking to the concept of reciprocity as defined by Robin Wall Kimmerer, the multispecies relations proposed in making with/becoming with encourage an ethos of reciprocal care. In the words of Kimmerer, “whatever our gift, we are called to give it and to dance for the renewal of the world. In return for the privilege of breath.” (384) Through every breath, we ground ourselves in the systems of growth, decay and renewal that implicate every organism on the earth.

The artists featured in this exhibition approach these planetary becomings through multidisciplinary strategies that reflect their own subjectivity. From considering the material implications of artistic practices, to the discrimination within human and non-human relations—especially during crises, to the ecosystems that exist around us, their works embrace the complexity of being human while also acknowledging the more-than-human.

Artists such as Michelle Pratt, Fiona Sun, Coco Zhu, Mauricio De Los Santos and Nancy Chen use recycled and recyclable materials to consider the impacts of consumption and waste on the environment. The work of artists including Courtney Dookwah, Max Lauzon, Omar Zayed and Ella Taylor investigate the implications of Donna Haraway’s concept of making with through their focus on materiality. Other artists such as Myeongjoo Park, Anson Yu, Jiaying Ren, Abir Jivana and Sabbrina Hassan Ortiz reflect on environmental racism and the social implications of the Anthropocene era. Finally, the artists Marina Diolaiti, Isaak Singray-Jedig and Vincent Zhou employ conceptual approaches in their work to understand the scope and complexity of human entanglements within the environment.

Altogether, the artists use their artworks to investigate what it means to be human on our planet today. They look to plastic waste, water sources, plant life and 3D modelling to navigate the web of human and non-human entanglements that make up the world(s). making with/becoming with asks us to embrace our ‘compostness’ and use it as a tool to make kin.

Nancy Chen, Linh Dao, Mauricio De Los Santos, Marina Diolaiti, Courtney Dookwah, Emily Fleurant, Sabbrina Hassan Oritz, Abir Jivana, Max Lauzon, Myeongjoo Park, Michelle Pratt, Julie Regis, Jiaying Ren, Isaak Shingray-Jedig, Fiona Sun, Ella Taylor, Anson Yu, Omar Zayed, Vincent Zhou, Coco Zhu

Curatorial statement by Ella Taylor. Image credit: Courtney Dookwah, Tracing Water Study #4 (2021) Handmade paper from shredded receipts, gouache. Dr. Barbara Rauch, Course Instructor. Emily Cadotte, Teaching Assistant.