Sydney McManus

tattoo

What does it mean to be boundless? To shed my skin to be in a constant state of flow. But even my skin absorbs and sponges. There are no borders, we are all transboundary waters. When I realize I am not bound to the borders of my skin I seep into others. Our rhythms at times hold space, our rhythms at times rush like rapids. We move together, listening to how we collide. 


This tattoo project is based on the movements of the St. Lawrence River, a body of water I have had the privilege of getting to know over the past few years living on the land it wraps itself around. The practice of tattooing water patterns onto the human body is a reminder of our porous selves. The waters within and around us are always influx, forever adapting, forever transforming. 


I would like to thank Kaïa Etezadi for trusting me with her skin and our endless conversation about water, and Yael Ezerzer for capturing the work in such an honest way.

tattoo

What does it mean to be boundless? To shed my skin to be in a constant state of flow. But even my skin absorbs and sponges. There are no borders, we are all transboundary waters. When I realize I am not bound to the borders of my skin I seep into others. Our rhythms at times hold space, our rhythms at times rush like rapids. We move together, listening to how we collide. 


This tattoo project is based on the movements of the St. Lawrence River, a body of water I have had the privilege of getting to know over the past few years living on the land it wraps itself around. The practice of tattooing water patterns onto the human body is a reminder of our porous selves. The waters within and around us are always influx, forever adapting, forever transforming. 


I would like to thank Kaïa Etezadi for trusting me with her skin and our endless conversation about water, and Yael Ezerzer for capturing the work in such an honest way.

tattoo

What does it mean to be boundless? To shed my skin to be in a constant state of flow. But even my skin absorbs and sponges. There are no borders, we are all transboundary waters. When I realize I am not bound to the borders of my skin I seep into others. Our rhythms at times hold space, our rhythms at times rush like rapids. We move together, listening to how we collide. 


This tattoo project is based on the movements of the St. Lawrence River, a body of water I have had the privilege of getting to know over the past few years living on the land it wraps itself around. The practice of tattooing water patterns onto the human body is a reminder of our porous selves. The waters within and around us are always influx, forever adapting, forever transforming. 


I would like to thank Kaïa Etezadi for trusting me with her skin and our endless conversation about water, and Yael Ezerzer for capturing the work in such an honest way.

tattoo

What does it mean to be boundless? To shed my skin to be in a constant state of flow. But even my skin absorbs and sponges. There are no borders, we are all transboundary waters. When I realize I am not bound to the borders of my skin I seep into others. Our rhythms at times hold space, our rhythms at times rush like rapids. We move together, listening to how we collide. 


This tattoo project is based on the movements of the St. Lawrence River, a body of water I have had the privilege of getting to know over the past few years living on the land it wraps itself around. The practice of tattooing water patterns onto the human body is a reminder of our porous selves. The waters within and around us are always influx, forever adapting, forever transforming. 


I would like to thank Kaïa Etezadi for trusting me with her skin and our endless conversation about water, and Yael Ezerzer for capturing the work in such an honest way.

About Syd:

Syd is a queer mutlidisciplinary artists living in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal). Their practice moves from performance, too material, too skin, in no particular order. Working in flux and alongside one another, each practice moves in a spirit of playful fluidity. Syd experiences the body as a container of memories and patterns, fascinated to discover how it can inform and communicated rhythms in the everyday.

About Syd:

Syd is a queer mutlidisciplinary artists living in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal). Their practice moves from performance, too material, too skin, in no particular order. Working in flux and alongside one another, each practice moves in a spirit of playful fluidity. Syd experiences the body as a container of memories and patterns, fascinated to discover how it can inform and communicated rhythms in the everyday.

About Syd:

Syd is a queer mutlidisciplinary artists living in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal). Their practice moves from performance, too material, too skin, in no particular order. Working in flux and alongside one another, each practice moves in a spirit of playful fluidity. Syd experiences the body as a container of memories and patterns, fascinated to discover how it can inform and communicated rhythms in the everyday.

About Syd:

Syd is a queer mutlidisciplinary artists living in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal). Their practice moves from performance, too material, too skin, in no particular order. Working in flux and alongside one another, each practice moves in a spirit of playful fluidity. Syd experiences the body as a container of memories and patterns, fascinated to discover how it can inform and communicated rhythms in the everyday.

Interview

et:

We're excited to have you here. To start off, we'd love to
get to know you! Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do!

et: We're excited to have you here. To start off, we'd love to get to know you! Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do!

syd:

Heyo, my name is syd. I am a queer multidisciplinary artist based in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal. As an artist, my practice taps into performance, design, object-making, and tattooing. I love to try so many things and I can finally start to take some pride in that.

et:

When told about the theme for this exhibit, how did you begin the creative process?

et: We're excited to have you here. To start off, we'd love to get to know you! Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do!

syd:

For me, it was quite direct since I already explore the fluidy of form within my tattoo practice. I have always wanted to do a tattoo project to this scale, to explore how two bodies of water can come together to take up space. It was a really beautiful process, I am always grateful when someone trusts me so deeply with their body.

et:

Tell us items in your work.

syd:

My magic item is my red, blue and yellow pencil crayon. It helps me to keep things playful, light and connected to my truest self.

et:

If you were a flavour of ice cream, what would it be and why?

syd:

I could be a classic vanilla bean, but with some raspberry in it for a bit of zest.

et:

Who or what influences do you look to for inspiration?

et: We're excited to have you here. To start off, we'd love to get to know you! Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do!

syd:

Authenticity. I feel I can be drawn to so many styles and forms of art making, and when I feel that an artist is truly listening to their gut and show themselves in an honet way how can I not be inspired?


I am also very inspired by the everyday. I have always been a very observant person, I feel there are movies happening all around me all of the time if I allow myself to just watch and listen.

et:

What are you reading right now?

et: We're excited to have you here. To start off, we'd love to get to know you! Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do!

syd:

Orlando by Virginia Woolf, but I’ve been reading it for the past 5 years.