PUFF Paddy
They/Them
PUFF Paddy is queer Asian-Canadian multidisciplinary artist and arts educator based in Toronto. Paddy is known for creating whimsical, large-scale installations using paper and colourful materials, often repurposed and recycled. Their work strives to preserve a space between the ephemeral and a joyful permanence of youth that is imbued with magic. They are interested in exploring the qualities of art healing, playfulness, and communal experience. Their mission is to cultivate moments of spiritual awareness and powerful, joyous interactions.
PUFF Paddy has exhibited and created installations for the Art Gallery of Ontario, The Royal Ontario Museum, The Drake Hotel, Whippersnapper Gallery, The Theatre Centre, Toronto Public Library. In recent years, their practice has focused largely on community arts and providing inclusive programming, primarily for youth. Working with The STEPS Initiative, VIBE Arts, AGO Youth: Free After Three, Xpace Cultural Centre and Design Exchange, among others. Paddy is helping to transform the landscape of Toronto’s community arts scene.
Like a butterfly, my art is always evolving towards greater creativity, self-expression, and vitality. When I cut paper, I feel like I am peeling back the layers to reveal a secret safe space - a place of change, hope, and life. I often dismantle my art and re-create new life for the pieces I make. Looking back and going through my archives of materials, I found a collection of coffee filters from a previous work that had been tie dyed with washable markers and airbrushed with stencils. Drawing inspiration from Chinese paper arts, I experimented with different ways to fold and cut out this magnificent, delicate creature that holds so much symbolic meaning. I believe strongly that art has the power to transform uncertainty into deeper creativity and innovation. This has always been the case in my life and I’ve dedicated my art practice to bringing more love and kindness in a world where that’s often lacking. I hope that my work will continue to engage people and bring more awareness and action to social justice and equality. Reshape: The Butterfly Effect - conveys a powerful message of strength and hope to all dreamers and believers. The fight is not over!
What does it all mean when so much change is happening at the same time? Since COVID-19 began, there has been a great disturbance within our communities and beyond. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests are transforming our conversations about racism and radical injustice with hopes to bring freedom and equality for Black and Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC) communities everywhere. Many immigrants feel solidarity with the Black Lives Movement and want to participate in ongoing protests; however, some protesters are grappling with the choice of putting their legal status and, in some cases, their lives, at risk to join the cause.
In September 2017, The Trump administration announced an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program ordered by the Obama administration in 2012. Since the program started, nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children have been granted protection under DACA. This program allows them to live, study, and work in America. In response, protesters around America marched with monarch butterfly wings and signs to demonstrate in solidarity and unity, to protect undocumented immigrant children, also known as Dreamers. Inspired by protest signs from the fight to protect DACA recipients, The Butterfly Effect conveys a powerful message of strength and hope to all dreamers and believers. The fight is not over!
