Reading and Creative Practice with Ken Lum

Reading is essential in creative practice because it fosters thinking and growth, but it is not enough by itself. Reading becomes pointless if it fails to connect ideas across different knowledge areas. This presents a special challenge in art, which is anti-disciplinary and not limited to specific fields. For example, a Harlequin romance novel can be as meaningful as Lacan’s Écrits.

In this lecture, artist, writer, and curator Ken Lum will share his approach to reading in relation to artmaking. The event launches the Western Libraries Lecture Series, a free public program fostering conversations between scholars, artists, creators, and Western’s community.

Event Schedule

• 3:00pm Doors open
• 3:30pm Lecture starts
• Reception to follow

Please contact Western Alumni if you require information in an alternate format or have other accessibility needs. 

About Ken Lum

Vancouver-born Ken Lum is an internationally recognized artist, writer, curator, and scholar. His work explores themes of identity, representation, power, class, and belonging.

Lum’s contributions have been recognized with numerous honours including the Order of Canada, a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Governor General’s Award in Visual Arts, the Gershon Iskowitz Prize, and the Scotiabank Photography Award.