I Am YEG Arts: Garfield Morgan

Jamaican-born interdisciplinary artist Garfield Morgan brings the overlooked and marginalized to the forefront by elevating everyday objects into art. For his new solo exhibition, Cloth & Conscience at Harcourt House Artist Run Centre, his use of discarded clothing encourages a closer examination of our interconnectedness and the true costs of excessive consumption. In this week’s I Am YEG Arts story, Garfield recounts his sudden shift from graphic design to painting, why he loves being an artist in Edmonton, and the discovery he recently made about his heritage that he plans to explore through his art. 

How did you get your start as an artist?

My first foray into the arts after high school was at college in Jamaica. I did graphic design for my undergraduate degree. Even before I went to college, I had it in my head that I was going to do graphic design because my thinking was that’s where the money is. I worked in several advertising agencies in Jamaica, and I eventually started my own advertising business. But I got to a point where I felt stuck and like I needed more training, so I applied to an institution overseas to do some further studies in graphic design. 

The long and short of that story is when I arrived at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, I was told that the course I signed up for was no longer offered. That is when I had to switch from graphic design to painting. Looking back at it now, I can smile. All this time I was a graphic designer working in advertising and then I guess the universe conspired to have me study painting. I had contemplated returning to Jamaica but in terms of the fanfare that occurred when I was leaving to go study, I couldn’t go back and face Jamaica without having my master’s degree. Looking back, I am where I am because of that experience — as tough as it was — it really shaped, matured and stretched me. Even today, I approach my art as someone who really doesn’t know. The first thing I do is my research, I don’t approach projects thinking that I’m accomplished or that I know anything. I always start from scratch. And I think just that switch from graphic design to painting and not having known anything then, I now always operate from that space. 

Tell us about an influential figure early in your career that helped put you on the path you are today. 

Interestingly it began in the family. I’m the last of eight children and while growing up, we weren’t rich, but we weren’t poor — because to me poverty is a mind thing. We did a lot of recycling. For example, a jar was never thrown away when its contents were used up, it was saved and given to me because I was always constructing, reconstructing, and deconstructing. Because people saw value in what I was doing, and they thought it was worthy enough to save stuff for me to continue working with, I felt encouraged to continue. That aesthetic kind of stuck with me from very early on. My parents and all my siblings were fundamental influences. 

Outside of that, Pat Ramsey from the former Mutual Life Gallery in Jamaica was the first person who said to me, ​“Garfield, I think you really ought to take this art thing seriously because I think you have talent.” I eventually got to art school and had planned to go part-time while continuing to work. When I took in my portfolio for review, I was encouraged to attend full-time. I was working at a bank at the time, and I resigned from my job the following day. 

Tell us about why you’ve chosen Edmonton as your home and creative base. 

We came to Canada in 2018 and stayed in Montréal for five years. Then in 2023, we moved to Edmonton. It’s been phenomenal. If you had told me that in a year and a half, I would have accomplished as much as I have, I would have told you that you’re lying. But here I am. Edmonton has this sense of community; it’s this all-inclusive and diverse space. It has caused my career to end up going so much further than I had imagined that it would so soon. It’s a very dynamic place. Things are always happening. There are so many organizations to be a part of. So many new things to learn, and especially being at Harcourt House, which for me is a microcosm of what Edmonton offers: that sense of community, that sense of sharing, caring, embrace. And for sure I see myself staying here. 

A few days after arriving in Edmonton I attended an Edmonton Arts Council grant information session. One of the first questions I asked was do I qualify for any of these grants? And I remember being told that as long as I have an Edmonton address, I qualify. And that was the beginning. I applied and I got a grant to do some exploration for the project that I’m now exhibiting, at that point it was just a concept in my head. Then I applied for another grant, which I received. What you will see on October 18, that exhibition is a result of the support that I’ve gotten from the Edmonton Arts Council from the very beginning up until the exhibition. And of course, this is all possible thanks to Harcourt House for having given me this residency and this space to explore and investigate. 

You often incorporate nontraditional discarded materials and objects in your work. Can you tell us about your use of materials and how they serve as a metaphor and explore the concepts of identity? 

Based on my upbringing, I’ve always believed in the value of all people and things. While growing up, I cherished the fact that some of the things that I got would be something that my elder brother had used previously, whether it be clothing or toys. To extend the life of that thing, I’d treat it with respect and reverence. I take that same aesthetic to my art where I see these items as a metaphor for people: the discarded, the thrown away, and the marginalized. It’s a kind of alchemy where this non-item then becomes the main focus. In terms of what I’m doing now for my residency, I’m taking discarded, used clothing and really elevating it to the state of the art. They’re old clothes but they’re not looked at in that context anymore and their intrinsic value becomes more apparent. 

Tell us more about your exhibition at Harcourt House, Cloth & Conscience: Transforming Clothes into Voices of Change. What do you want people to take away from your exhibition? 

It’s the culmination of my yearlong artist residency at Harcourt House. I’ve been investigating and exploring secondhand clothes, delving into the potent stories that they tell. I want this exhibition to be something of an instruction to people to understand that when you see an item of clothing, specifically when it’s dirt cheap, you’re not paying the real cost. It’s possible someone’s life has been spent producing that garment; hopefully people will not be comfortable with that. There’s really no reason why people should be dying to create our clothes. Especially sometimes for clothes that are not even worn or worn more than once. Not to mention the environment we’re destroying to produce some of these garments. There are just so many negative aspects to this production, especially when it’s fast fashion. 

When people go to purchase clothing and other items, I want them to look behind the price and think about how ethically the item was produced. What material is it made of and where will it end up? Is it going to end up in a landfill? How soon will it disintegrate? A lot of the polyester and the byproducts of oil that are being used to make some of these fabrics are not going to decompose for the next 200 years. That is unsustainable. It’s crazy what we’re doing to the earth, and by extension, to ourselves. I really want people to be cognizant of what we’re doing and to really think about how you can change your consumerist habits. The people at the top in charge of this system aren’t going to change if their bottom line doesn’t change. It is up to us to tell them, ​“Listen, we’re not buying these products because they’re not sustainable or ethically made.” Hopefully the message will get to the top and they’ll change their actions. It really starts with us, and we can’t give up hope. It seems insignificant, but I think everything helps. 

How do you balance tackling such tough subject matter while taking care of yourself and your well-being? 

More than anything else, I want to be sincere. Recently I thought about purchasing a garment online to wear to my opening. But when I looked into where it was produced, I asked myself, ​“How can I be promoting sustainability and then go and do this?” I’ve now decided that I’ll go to a thrift store to purchase something to wear to the opening. For me, that’s a form of therapy because not only am I preaching it but I’m living it. I’m hoping that the exposure and engagement that I will offer people will have them rethink just any simple purchase. Maybe only one person contemplates and decides to change their actions, and I think that is a success and something of a reward. 

With your residency at Harcourt House winding up, what’s next for you? 

I recently traced my matrilineal heritage all the way back to the motherland, Africa, and it turns out that I share DNA with the Yoruba peoples of Nigeria. It is quite fascinating to me on several levels because while growing up, my mother used to purchase wall pieces that now upon reflection, look exactly like some of those Yoruba figures that I see online. As far as I know, she didn’t know that she had that connection, but I think something innately in her responded to these wood and stone carvings. Having found that out, I deliberately plan to incorporate that part of my heritage. I paint figuratively and I’ll be incorporating Yoruba iconography, symbology and all of that in my art. I’m quite excited about that phase of my development and investigation. Previously, I’ve worked with generally African icons for example, I looked at Adinkra symbols from West Africa thinking that my lineage was more in Ghana than in Nigeria, but now that I know that specifically, I’m going to really be looking at that aspect of my heritage and exploring it further. 

What is your advice for artists looking to get involved in the Edmonton arts community? 

Over the past few weeks, I made contact with two people who are trying to break into the arts scene. My advice to both of them was to join all the various arts organizations, attend events, go to openings, and volunteer. In fact, you can’t want to be an artist and not be where artists are. It’s no use staying at home and staying on the periphery looking in, you need to become a part of this thing. That is in fact one of the things I did the minute I hit Edmonton, I joined several organizations including Harcourt House and Latitude 53. And that would be my advice to everyone else. I ended up going to Harcourt House for their open drawing sessions and making new friends. Being at Harcourt House right now, I feel almost guilty, because while Cloth & Conscience is my show much of the work that you will see is the way it is because of the discussions, suggestions, and advice I got from other artists. So as much as my name appears, it is really a community effort. 

Also, you just have to keep doing it; you have to persist. Since I’ve been here there are some shows that I applied to which I didn’t get into. I hear people talking about being discouraged because they’ve tried here and there and nothing is happening. But sometimes a refusal is not a reflection of you, it’s just an indication that you need to try harder or try something different. I’m here as a product of persistence. I was in a space where I knew nothing about what I was doing, but I just kept going and kept showing up and gradually something came of it. Keep doing it and remain enthusiastic. Edmonton is a wonderful space for the arts, and I’ve been in other spaces, so I’m talking about something that I’ve lived and experienced. And believe me, it doesn’t get much better than this. Edmonton thrives and it allows me to thrive. 

All are welcome to attend the opening reception for Cloth & Conscience: Transforming Clothes Into Voices of Change tomorrow (Friday, October 18, 7 ‑10 pm) at Harcourt House Art Run Centre. Perhaps, take some inspiration from Garfield’s message of sustainability and wear your favourite vintage or second-hand garments to the reception! 

About Garfield Morgan

Garfield Morgan is a full-time multi-disciplinary artist who completed an MFA in Painting at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, USA. Upon completing his studies he was awarded the Post Graduate Fellowship in the School of Art at his Alma Mater.

As a member of Harcourt House Artist Run Centre, Garfield has found a supportive community that fosters his creative endeavours and amplifies his voice. He was named Artist-In-Residence at Harcourt House for 2023/2024. His passion for art, and his dedication to the communities of which he is a part, come together in his practice, making compelling works that address several important social and environmental issues.

His receipt of the Edmonton Arts Council’s ​“Equity and Access in the Arts” grant in 2023 and also being awarded the ​“Individuals & Collectives (Stream 3): Major Artist Driven Projects Winter 2024” grant further substantiates his rising prominence.

Garfield’s work has garnered international acclaim, with his piece ​“Consumer Bird” being exhibited at the Beijing Biennale in China in 2010 and later included in the Climate Art Collection in 2023. His inclusion in Jacqueline Bishop’s ​“Patchwork: Essays and Interviews on Caribbean Visual Culture” highlights his critical role in contemporary Caribbean art discourse.