On May 27 at 6 pm, IMC Curator Gaëlle Morel and Diaspora Engagement Advisor Helen Tewolde will lead a guided tour of Dawit L. Petros’s survey exhibition, exploring migration, memory, and colonial legacies across two decades. Free; no registration required.

About the Exhibition:

On view May 6–August 1, 2026

This survey exhibition celebrates the career of Montreal-based multidisciplinary artist Dawit L. Petros, winner of the 2025 Scotiabank Photography Award. Spanning over 20 years, this presentation of more than 60 photographs and serigraphs traces a long-standing inquiry into the legacy of colonial history across Africa, Europe, and North America. Rooted in rigorous scholarly research and extensive travel, Petros's practice is defined by his creative use of archival photographs, colour, and abstraction. The artist challenges photography’s documentary function while investigating migration, belonging, displacement, and the lingering effects of colonial memory.

About the Speakers:

Gaëlle Morel (French/Canadian, b. 1976), PhD, has been the Curator at The Image Centre, Toronto Metropolitan University, since 2010. Based on extensive archival research, her most recent exhibitions include Lee Miller, A Photographer at Work, 1932–1945 (2024); Stories from the Picture Press: Black Star Publishing Co. & The Canadian Press (2023); and Mary Ellen Mark: Ward 81 (with accompanying catalogue, 2023). In 2009, Morel was the guest curator of the photography biennial Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal.

Helen Tewolde has built her career advancing access to higher education, justice, and employment across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors. Her work focuses on ensuring underrepresented and diaspora communities are meaningfully included in institutional policies and programs. Tewolde holds degrees from McMaster University, OISE/UT, and Osgoode Hall Law School, and has served on boards, industry associations, and community networks advising on diaspora engagement, AI ethics, and equitable trade and market access. She is also the Founder of Mela Glow & Co., a lifestyle brand inspired by global diasporas.