Contacts

Behnaz Fatemi is an Iranian-Canadian artist and PhD candidate in Visual Arts, Studio Stream, at Western University. She holds an MFA from the University of Waterloo and a BFA in Painting from the University of Guilan, Iran. She makes installations, performances, sculptures, videos, drawings, and sound-based works. Her suitcase is usually either packed, or thinking about being packed.

Maddie Lychek is an artist and educator. She is a recent graduate of the MFA Program at the University of Waterloo. Her experience spans facilitation, mentorship, curation, project management, event planning and lecturing. She makes installations, videos, performances, objects, and things on paper. She is fuelled by Gatorade and processed meats.

Merna Gallo is a multidisciplinary artist and a recent graduate from the University of Waterloo with a major in Fine Arts (studio practice). Her practice is often rooted in familial, conceptual, and biographical storytelling, addressing trauma and the emotional repercussions that arise from complex relationships. Her work explores mixed media, photo manipulation, and installation. She is excited and looking forward to another summer with S.A.I.L!

Lidya Nur Karat is a Turkish (from İzmir) artist living in Waterloo, Canada. As a multimedia artist, her practice mainly includes performance art, and sculpture. She works with topics such as identity and homesickness, using her body as the main subject and tool. She is a recent graduate at the University of Waterloo, majoring in Fine Arts Studio Practice. She has exhibited work in the Creators Collective’s 2024 exhibition and has given live performances at the University of Waterloo.