Listening Through the Light – Torrie Ironstar
Listening Through the Light – Torrie Ironstar
Listening Through the Light – Torrie Ironstar
Listening through light reflects my experiences as a deaf nakoda artist. I experience the world through movement, colours, vibrations, institution and visual storytelling rather than sound alone. Through my artworks, light become a language, carrying memory, spirit, emotion, and connection. Blending indigenous worldviews with futuristic and cosmic imagery, my works explores resilience, identity and the power of seeing beyond what can be heard.
I was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, and I am a Deaf Nakoda artist. Being Deaf shapes how I experience the world, I listen through my eyes, my body, and my intuition. This perspective deeply influences my art, allowing me to notice details, movement, and energy that are often overlooked. My work blends Indigenous worldviews with futuristic and spiritual elements. Through bold colors, geometric forms, and cosmic symbolism, I explore identity, resilience, and Indigenous futures. My art reflects both personal experience and collective memory, honoring my ancestors while imagining forward moving narratives. I came out at the age of 28 and later learned about Two-Spirit ideology through travel and experiences in the United States. Embracing my Two-Spirit identity had a profound impact on my artistic practice. It gave me space to explore who I am, to heal, and to express balance, fluidity, and self-truth through my work. Navigating the gay community as a Deaf person has been challenging, and there are very few visible Deaf Two-Spirit people. This absence often brought loneliness and a feeling of being unseen, even within spaces meant to be inclusive. Learning to live with and understand that loneliness became part of my journey. Through art, I found a way to communicate what words could not and to create the representation I rarely saw. Creating art is how I communicate, resist, and reclaim space. Each piece is a visual story about survival, belonging, and visibility—especially for Deaf, Indigenous, and Two-Spirit communities.
Date:June 13th, 2026 - August 21st, 2026
Location:Casa - Saokitapi Gallery
Casa Program Guide
The Casa Program Guide is produced three times a year; Winter, Spring/Summer and Fall. Inside the guide find listings for the upcoming class and workshop schedule, upcoming exhibitions at The Gallery, information about artists in residence and seasonal events in the building. Program guides are free. Pick-up guides at Casa or at facilities throughout the city.