V Magazine speaks with writer, artist and activist Kimberly Drew about her recent partnership with the Canadian lifestyle brand.
V Magazine speaks with writer, artist and activist Kimberly Drew about her recent partnership with the Canadian lifestyle brand.
When you hear the phrase “Live in the Open,” you think about taking and embracing life full-on. Keeping that philosophy in mind, Canada Goose has partnered with writer, artist and activist Kimberly Drew to highlight the work of artists living and working in New York City–a city she works in and calls home.
“My work sits at the intersection of art and design,” said Drew in a press statement, “thinking about ways to archive, uplift, center and amplify marginalized voices that sit across a bunch of different cultural spaces.”
The partnership consists of three interactive murals commissioned by three artists–COVL, Bianca Nemelc, and Indie184–selected by Drew herself. Each artist created a mural style piece unique to their own artistic design, and that incorporated a tear-away reveal for the passersby to interact and engage with. The purpose of this reveal is to continue Canada Goose’s ethos of “Live in the Open,” and encourage the idea of expressing oneself freely, all while “spotlighting female creators dominating the New York art scene.” The three artists used inspiration from their cultural backgrounds, expressionism, the natural world and more to make their murals unique to themselves and the project’s message as a whole.
The three murals are currently up for view around the Canada Goose flagship store in New York City. Read Drew’s interview with V below.
V Magazine: Canada Goose’s ethos is to “Live in the Open.” What does that saying mean for you and this partnership?
Kimberly Drew: I have really enjoyed this partnership with Canada Goose, because it’s encouraged me to commit to spending more time in nature. I think “Live in the Open” can mean a variety of things: being outdoors, being open to new information, and even being open to the parts of yourself that you’ve yet to discover. To quote my friend Noor Tagouri, “We are the stories we haven’t met yet.”
V: As a curator, how different is this partnership compared to other projects and jobs you’ve had? How has the partnership allowed you to combine your passion for activism and art in one?
KD: This project has given me the opportunity to curate billboards in Downtown New York. One of my principal goals is to invite audiences to see more art and with this project I was able to work with Canada Goose to bring art to people. With so much creative freedom, I didn’t have to compromise on my vision for the project.
V: You tapped artists COVL, Bianca Nemelc, and Indie184 to bring this project to life. What was the process of selecting these artists in particular?
KD: I wanted to work with a diverse selection of artists on this project. Bianca and Indie184 are both native New Yorkers and COVL is a newer New York from Miami. Each of these three women have unique approaches to their work thinking about mental health, freedom of expression and the beauty of bodies. As a curator, I’m just happy that each of the artists said yes.
V: You’re a native of New Jersey; a neighbor of New York. In what ways has this project and its NYC location been inspirational/meaningful to you?
KD: New Jersey is a unique state with a longstanding and robust art community. Growing up, it was a privilege to be able to visit cultural institutions in both New Jersey and New York City. Working with artists to mount artworks was exciting because it made me wonder which people might see the works and reconsider their relationship to art.
