Art, Accessibility, & MCS: Michel Dumont

The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast

In this episode, Aaron speaks with Michel Dumont.
Michel is a queer, two-spirited, disabled, Métis artist who lives and works with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). He resides in Thunder Bay in northern Ontario, Canada.

A lot of Michel's art involves what he calls ‘faux taxidermy.' He makes beautiful, colourful animal objects — bears are some of his favourites — with found taxidermy and covers them over with discarded vintage tile. The results are fabulous mosaic pieces. Michel also creates wearable art using packing tape, mylar, cellophane and LED lights. His work has been exhibited at galleries across Canada.

In this podcast chat, Michel speaks about how he uses materials that are safer for him as a person with MCS, and that sometimes he’s been judged for his choices. He also talks about the challenges of exhibiting art as someone with MCS, how he draws on his Indigenous and Métis roots, and how his mother’s experiences as a survivor of the Indian Residential School System influence his creative practices.

The Canadian government and a number of churches removed and separated Indigenous children from their families and communities and forced them to attend residential schools. Most of the 139 Indian Residential Schools stopped operating by the mid-1970s, but the last federally-run school closed in the late 1990s. In recent years, the remains of hundreds of children have been found on the sites of former Indian Residential Schools.

Part of this episode deals with traumatic memories of past abuse. If you are a survivor of the Residential School System, you can call the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line anytime. The number is 1-866-925-4419.
Thank you for listening!

Links:

Michel Dumont on Instagram

On Tokenization, Funding and Being an Indigenous Artist who is Differently Abled
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فصول

1. Art, Accessibility, & MCS: Michel Dumont (00:00:00)

2. Aaron introduces the podcast and episode. (00:00:05)

3. Michel introduces himself. (00:02:26)

4. Michel discusses the intersections of his identity. (00:03:24)

5. Michel describes the process of creating his faux taxidermy and finding materials that work for him. (00:06:10)

6. Michel details the inspirations behind his faux taxidermy. (00:09:47)

7. Michel recounts the process of finding non-toxic materials he can work with. (00:12:59)

8. Michel emphasizes that his art is informed by his disability. (00:18:05)

9. Michel notes some of the aspects of galleries that work for MCS. (00:19:11)

10. Michel details some of the inaccessibility he has encountered in galleries. (00:19:52)

11. Michel discusses the developing understanding of disability arts in the fine arts scene. (00:21:20)

12. Michel describes his first art show and his interest in the environment. (00:23:00)

13. Michel explains his chronic pain chart piece. (00:26:27)

14. Michel talks about the creation of his button coat. (00:27:46)

15. Michel discusses the influences of his button coat. (00:30:03)

16. Michel talks about the project he made in connection to First Nations residential schools. (00:32:09)

17. Michel touches upon ways he stays connected. (00:32:09)

18. Aaron concludes the episode. (00:38:59)