Kriss Munsya. The Eraser – Escaping The Future

19 Oct 2021

Last month, the New Yorker Photo Department chose the work of talented Vancouver-based artist Kriss Munsya to feature on their official Instagram feed. In accompanying his striking works, Munsya wrote:

‘I’m a Congolese-born visual artist currently living in the ancestral and unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, so-called Vancouver.’

‘I’m happy to share with you some photos of my series “The Eraser.” This series tells the story of my childhood. After having experienced a lot of trauma from white supremacy and patriarchy, I wondered whether it was possible to erase those memories in order to change my future. But, similar to the story of “The Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind,” when you try to manipulate the brain, unexpected things can happen.’

‘I grew up in Brussels, Belgium. For a long time, I believed that I couldn’t be a professional artist, and that got me into a long depression in my twenties. But when I was 27, I decided to hitchhike from New York to Rio de Janeiro. It took me a year, but that’s when I promised myself that I would do whatever it takes to be an artist and expose myself to the world.’

Munsya’s Eraser series work is now the focus of a solo exhibit at the Mónica Reyes Gallery.