Great Concordian: Dawit L. Petros, visual artist, researcher and educator

Dawit L. Petros, BFA 03, is a distinguished visual artist and educator who serves as associate professor in the Department of Studio Art at Dartmouth College.

The photography alumnus has developed an artistic practice profoundly influenced by his experience as a refugee from Eritrea. A colony of Italy from 1890 to 1941, the East African nation gained independence in 1991.

Building on his experiences as an undergraduate at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Petros’s work has garnered acclaim for its insightful, multidisciplinary explorations of colonialism and global modernism.

“Aesthetics were not divorced from politics at Concordia,” he says. “I was never made to feel as though the impulse to connect my creativity to the political was misplaced.”

Recently, at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Photography, Petros’s exhibition Prospetto a Mare scrutinized how Italy’s colonial ventures shaped visual and physical landscapes across three continents.

“This is part of a long-term exploration of the history of Italian fascism and how it impacted Africa, Europe and North America,” says Petros. “The show took the built environment of Chicago — specifically the Balbo Monument gifted to the city by Benito Mussolini — into this line of inquiry through images, sculpture, sound, film and more.”

Petros has exhibited widely, with notable shows at the likes of the Tate Modern in London, the Studio Museum in Harlem and the Bamako Biennale in Mali.

The Great Concordian’s accolades include a Terra Foundation Research Fellowship, the Paul De Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award for Art Photography, and a Fulbright Fellowship. He was also shortlisted for Honouring Black Presence, a new public art program at Concordia.

When you reflect on your time as a Concordia student, what stands out?

Dawit L. Petros: It was a transformative three years for me. It truly was. I developed a community of colleagues and friendships that remain. On a personal level, I met my partner at Concordia so all of this has been deeply impactful.

It was at Concordia where I understood and got a chance to see models for how to exist as a teaching artist. And there were remarkable instructors that I had the privilege to learn from and to study with. I left with an understanding that what I wanted to create for myself was a reflection of what I had experienced at the university. It was an incredible place to figure these things out.

What are some of the factors that have enabled your success?

DLP: I come from an immigrant family. We came to Canada from Eritrea as refugees. My parents left the world they knew and loved in search of a better one for my brothers and me. Their sacrifice and perseverance instilled in us the power of education as a pathway for illuminating and improving an understanding of oneself.

Connected to that was being raised in a community in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where the value of hard work was deeply ingrained. I knew that my education at Concordia was not something to be squandered. I arrived as an undergraduate with a strong set of established habits, with a clear direction and the determination to succeed. Luckily, I had educators at Concordia who supported and challenged me with rigour and generosity of spirit.

What advice do you have for students who may want to follow in your footsteps?

DLP: Be respectful to everyone you meet. Be nice. It sounds trite, but the [art] world is small and we encounter each other in the most unexpected places. Generating and cultivating goodwill goes a long way.

Connected to the previous point — your peers are the community you go out into the world with. Establishing supportive communities of meaningful relationships and friendships that will remain with you is important.

The third piece of practical advice is that what you’re interested in now is susceptible to change. So try to be open and flexible towards learning whose ‘relevance’ may not be immediately discernible to you right now.

Finally, don’t wait for opportunities to come to you in the art world. Organize your own shows and events to gain experience and establish a track record.

How does it feel to be a Great Concordian?

DLP: When I first received the news, I thought maybe someone was playing a joke on me!

I am deeply invested in the legacy of Concordia. I’m proud of the institution and immensely grateful for what it facilitated for me. To be recognized as a Great Concordian is an immeasurable honour. I’m humbled.