Exploring Identity and Transcendence with C. E. Gatchalian

Creating literary works about identity – whether it be racial, cultural, sexual, gender, ability, etc. or any combination of the above – can be challenging. Is one writing for a general audience, or a specific/niche/target one? What negotiations, if any, take place when writing about a minoritized experience for a general audience? Are there “compromises” that are inevitable? Is “apolitical” art possible, or is all art inherently political? Are questions about compromise and negotiation even necessary?

Current Kogawa House writer-in-residence C.E. (Chris) Gatchalian will lead discussions on these questions in two one-hour workshops. As a queer-identifying, racialized artist, Chris wrestles with these questions on a daily basis. The first workshop will be a discussion led by Chris on the above issues; in the second workshop, participants will be free to share and receive feedback on works-in-progress, if they choose.

Workshop 1: Sunday, December 3, 1 pm
Workshop 2: Sunday, December 10, 1 pm

Register for these workshops on Eventbrite.

Presented in partnership with Asian Canadian Writers Workshop.

About CE Gatchalian

The author of five books, Filipino-Canadian author C. E. Gatchalian was born, raised, and based on the unceded traditional lands of the Coast Salish People (Vancouver). His plays, which include Falling In Time, Broken, Motifs & Repetitions, and People Like Vince, have appeared on stages nationally and internationally, as well as on radio and television. The winner of two Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards and a two-time finalist for the Lambda Literary Award, he was the 2013 recipient of the Dayne Ogilvie Prize, awarded annually by The Writers’ Trust of Canada to a Canadian LGBT author of merit.

He is currently writer-in-residence at Kogawa House, where he is working on a non-fiction manuscript.

Historic Joy Kogawa House and Accessibility

Unfortunately, Historic Joy Kogawa House is not currently wheelchair accessible. The house was built in 1912, and our future renovation plans include making the house more accessible. Here are some specifications for your consideration:

• There are 3 steps from the sidewalk to the garden path, each 107 cm in width and the steepest being 23 cm in height, then a further 5 steps leading to the front door, each 121.5 cm in width and 8 cm in height
• The front door and dining room entry is 85 cm wide
• The bathroom entry is 70 cm wide, with 17 cm clearance on each side of the toilet
• We have a range of chairs with arms and without arms
• We welcome assistance animals

If you have any accessibility questions or concerns, please email info@kogawahouse.com to get in touch. We can discuss access options by whatever means that best suit you.