Over the past twenty years, the field of anthropology (the scientific study of cultures) has experienced a radical shift. In this episode, visual artist Sameer Farooq talks with Qanita Lilla about how his interdisciplinary practice interrogates the colonial history of museums. He considers the unexpected stories that are left behind after collections are displaced to the west and his work adds a critical, yet delicate layer to this debate. Some of his most compelling work touches on what we do not see, the abstract patterns of light that bounces off museum glass, the shifting coils of museum packaging material and the negative space within navels.

In this episode, Qanita Lilla talks with the celebrated artist, Jamelie Hassan about growing up as a first generation Arab Canadian. Jamelie talks about how, with her parent’s encouragement, she traversed continents to study art and to find her creative voice. She does not separate the role of her community in the founding of the artist-run centre, Embassy Cultural House in London, Ontario, and neither does she preclude the valuable, life-long contribution of her beloved life-partner and artist, Ron Benner.

We are back with a brand new season of With Opened Mouths. The podcast where we get exceptional creatives to speak for themselves. I am your host Qanita Lilla, Curator of Canadian and African art at Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Queen’s University.

Join us as we hear from artists, scholars, musicians and media workers working in Canada and Africa today. This season, my guests share how lived experience impacts creative practice, the role of intergenerational learning and how travel expands perspectives, and the importance of collaboration. We also hear how art, language, Black history and music help shape worlds of possibility, trust and resilience.

Episodes of With Opened Mouths are released monthly, and you can find them on Digital Agnes, CFRC’s website and on your favorite podcasting platform starting on the 25th of September 2026!