Overview
Whess Harman (born 1990) is a Canadian multidisciplinary Indigenous artist, curator, writer, and activist. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Harman’s practice encompasses drawing, illustration, beadwork, textiles, text‑based works, and curatorial projects. They identify as queer and trans and are a member of the Carrier Wit'at Nation, which is administratively part of the Lake Babine Nation.
Early life and education
Harman was born in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. In 2014 they earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts from Emily Carr University of Art and Design.
Artistic practice
Harman’s work often combines humor, wordplay, and a critical engagement with colonial histories. Themes frequently explore identity, queer Indigeneity, land‑based resistance, and the intersections of personal and collective memory. Their practice includes:
- Drawing and illustration – graphic, often text‑heavy pieces that invite close reading.
- Beadwork and textiles – incorporating traditional Indigenous craft techniques within contemporary contexts.
- Zines and publications – notably the These Ones (formerly Together Apart) series produced after the 2019 Queer Indigeneities symposium.
- Public interventions – such as the 2020 “Body as Vessel/Body as Blockade” mural, which challenges viewers to confront the labor of deciphering activist messages.
Curatorial work
From January 2021 to March 2025 Harman served as curator of grunt gallery in Vancouver, having previously worked there as a curatorial assistant. Their curatorial agenda prioritizes emerging queer and BIPOC cultural workers, emphasizing community dialogue over colonial exhibition frameworks.
Selected exhibitions
Solo
- chew the bones, they’re soft – Open Space, Victoria (Feb 2022 – Apr 2022)
- Lossy: How to Save File for Future Transmission – Fina Gallery, UBC Okanagan (Jun 2021 – Sep 2021)
Group
- Start Somewhere Else – Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, UBC (Jun 2022 – Aug 2022)
- Land Back Rewind – Vines Den, Vancouver (Apr 2025)
- XIÁM – Bill Reid Gallery, Vancouver (Feb 2024 – May 2024)
Collections
Works by Harman are held in the collection of the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery at the University of British Columbia, among other public and private holdings.
Activism and public engagement
Beyond studio practice, Harman participates in activist initiatives related to Indigenous land rights, queer liberation, and anti‑colonial resistance. Notable collaborations include a “Land Back” sewn patch used for a cover art project with The Halluci Nation (2020).
References
- Wikipedia entry “Whess Harman” (accessed April 2026).
- Grunt Gallery website, artist profile.
- Publications and exhibition catalogues listed in gallery archives (e.g., C Magazine, Belkin Art Gallery collection records).
Note: All information presented is drawn from publicly available, verifiable sources.