Artist Kristin Nelson uses common objects to explore complex social and political issues in the context of intellectual, artistic and manual labour.

She will be the fourth speaker in NIC鈥檚 Artist Talk online series, Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m.

鈥淜ristin鈥檚 prolific work is a great example of how, as artists, our approach to creating can illuminate our understanding of issues that are mired in various societal and political factors,鈥� said Sara Vipond, NIC School of Fine Art department chair. 鈥淲e鈥檙e honoured to have this artist join us for our series.鈥�

Born in Ajax, Ont., Nelson received her BFA in Visual Arts from the Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design in 2003 and completed her MFA at Concordia University in 2014.

Since completing her academic training, Nelson has embarked on an impressive career that includes artist residencies at Riding Mountain (Manitoba, 2017), Artspace (Sydney, Australia, 2015) and the Banff Centre for the Arts (2008). Nelson has also exhibited work across Canada and North America.

As a self-identified queer person with a disability, Nelson seeks to question the value of mass-manufactured objects by putting them through an artistic practice in the art gallery/commodity context.

鈥淥ften, my attempt is to reposition how we value labour beyond a capitalist or Marxist value approach,鈥� Nelson said of her work. 鈥淭his repositioning of labour 鈥� as seen through a disability studies lens 鈥� places value on the body itself, instead of on what the labouring body produces.鈥�

Artist Talk presentations offer insight into each artist鈥檚 professional art practice. The talks are one hour, followed by a short question period. The winter 2021 series is via Zoom, with a range of dates and times chosen to align with NIC Fine Art and Digital Design + Development classes. The events are free.

Other upcoming speakers include:

路 Sandra Meigs, Friday, March 5 at 1 p.m.

路 Scott Amos, Thursday, March 11 at 6 p.m.

路 Sean Caulfield, Wednesday, March 17 at 1 p.m.

For the link to attend and the full schedule of speakers, visit nicart.tickit.ca.