Jade Yumang Explores Queer Expression in Upcoming Discussion

In an exciting event scheduled for February 4, 2026, artist Jade Yumang, a pioneering Filipino-Canadian creative mind, promises to engage audiences with a compelling presentation on queer form and expression at the University of British Columbia’s Green College.

Exploring Queer Form: Beyond Traditional Boundaries

Under the intriguing title Queer Form Unfollows Function, Yumang’s public talk will explore into the innovative ways queer form challenges cultural norms and aesthetic conventions. This event will explore the detailed ways our bodies are perceived in both visual and spatial contexts, drawing inspiration from the tension and flexibility inherent in fibre crafts. Just as these crafts transform rigid materials into soft forms, the queer body is seen as resilient and eager for liberation. To learn more, you can visit the Green College Event Page or check out the AHVA Event Details.

This engaging experience will begin at 5:00 p.m. in the Coach House, complete with a live stream option and a reception to follow. Yumang, the first AHVA alum (BFA ’08) to return as an artist-in-residence, brings a wealth of experience from a life journey that started in Quezon City, Philippines, continued through Dubai, and now thrives in Chicago, home to the Council of the Three Fires.

From Filipino Heritage to the World Stage

Yumang’s work radiates with the active energy of queer Filipino culture, transforming traditional folklore, such as the manananggal, an ominous figure from Philippine myths, into empowering symbols of identity and resilience. Their recent projects, featuring reactive dyes on cotton, glass beads, and motion-sensitive motors, were highlighted at Chicago’s Oh Art Foundation in 2025, cleverly intertwining craftsmanship with identity and migration themes.Explore the series here.

Recognized by the Canada Council for the Arts and Illinois Arts Council, and having participated in residencies at illustrious venues such as Fire Island and the Bemis Center, Yumang also holds an MFA from Parsons and serves as an associate professor in Fiber and Material Studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. For our Filipino LGBT+ community, this discussion offers more than art; it’s a energetic invitation to celebrate and express our unique identities, defying the constraints society often imposes.

Don’t miss the opportunity to witness the dynamic exchange of queer expression. Seats are limited, so secure your spot and let’s embrace our shared brilliance, mga bes!

(Word count: 412. Published February 4, 2026)