“Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow:” the 2026 Glowing Rawhide Exhibition by Kingston Artist Portia “Po” Chapman
Title wall view of Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow at the Kingston Arts Council Pocket Gallery, featuring translucent deer rawhide, gold dimensional typography, and integrated didactic narrative lettering.
About the Exhibition Being Seen: when Being Seen…we glow
From July 17 to September 18, 2026, the Kingston Arts Council Pocket Gallery hosted Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow, the groundbreaking, glowing rawhide exhibition by Kingston rawhide artist and site-specific installation specialist Portia “Po” Chapman (BFAH Sculpture / Installation). The exhibition’s opening ceremony took place on July 30, the day after the summer’s full Buck Moon, when, at midnight, the moon echoed the warm, luminous glow of the handcrafted rawhide vessels within the exhibition’s interactive, sculptural showstopper, the Glow Chamber.
Designed as an immersive, highly curated spatial experience with the aim of breaking through post-pandemic social isolation by sharing the uplifting golden feeling of Being Seen, the exhibition integrated Storytelling Art, cohesive branding, print and social marketing, an inspirational art talk, a celebratory opening ceremony, a full deer rawhide title feature, three illuminated bespoke frame drums, an interactive community glowing-selfie board, and seven handcrafted glowing rawhide vessels inside the centrally positioned Glow Chamber (measuring 72″ wide × 72″ deep × 74” high).
Illuminating Being Seen: With the stepladder removed and rawhide vessels mounted, the Glow Chamber glows warmly in the Pocket Gallery, tuned to site-specific lighting before the rest of the exhibition wall elements were installed.
The interactive Glow Chamber contrasted a brutalist field of grey, stone-hybrid monoliths, evoking the clinical, towering concrete of modern high-rises, with hand-wrapped, backlit rawhide vessels that suggested bright, welcoming faces. By arranging the monolith heights to position the glowing diffusers at diverse eye levels, Chapman prompted spontaneous facial pareidolia and relational parity. Viewers transitioned from passive observers into active participants standing face-to-face with an equal, glowing presence, while the warm biological diffusion activated implicit, womb-like, somatic memory to evoke pre-verbal associations of comfort, safety, and prenatal security.
The exhibition achieved resounding success, drawing repeat visitors with its joyful, uplifting atmosphere and inviting active engagement at the collective photo-sharing board where individuals became members of a glowing community. By the close of the show, 70 gallery guests had posted their selfies, posing with their choice of glowing vessels. Guests frequently shared that the space left them feeling happier, uplifted, and embraced by a warm, protective environment, confirming the powerful, shared sensation of Being Seen.
The heart of the community connection: 70 exhibition visitors posted their glowing selfie portraits and personal reflections on the interactive board inside the Kingston Arts Council Pocket Gallery during Portia “Po” Chapman’s Being Seen exhibition (July 27 – September 18, 2026).
Exhibition Catalogue & Curatorial Deep Dives
Explore the nine-part documentation detailing the spatial design, material research, logistics, and spatial psychology behind the installation.
For 18 years, I lived in the forest along the south shores of Moira Lake just west of Tweed, Ontario. We moved there when I was 3 years old. My friends were the trees, wild animals, birds, and fish; even salamanders became my friends. In the woods, without human interaction, I never felt unseen. Whenever I looked up into the golden, leaf-filtered light, I could feel my spirit dance.
Portia “Po” Chapman communing with nature in the sunlit woods along Moira Lake—the early environmental connection that inspired the golden glow of the Being Seen exhibition.
Photo published in the 2024 Toronto Guardian feature article about Po.
However, in 2015, I started my BFAH studies at Queen’s University and moved to Kingston, and later, my family moved into a high-rise apartment in Belleville, Ontario. There I was, surrounded by people where trees were replaced by urban buildings, feeling alone; feeling unseen. Then the pandemic lockdowns came. I was already feeling unseen when we were suddenly isolated. My colourful world became grey and I faded away even more.
Then one afternoon, in late December 2021, the sunlight shone through one of the elk rawhide drums that I made. The rawhide drum glowed with a warm golden light that lit up my studio space. Amazingly, in that single, brief moment, I felt hope again. I felt the golden, glowing feeling of being seen. I felt like I had not been forgotten. By February 2022, my professional art career had taken off.
Sunlight passes through an unpainted bison rawhide drum built at Po’s Kingston studio, illuminating its natural fiber textures and tree of life lacing pattern—the primary inspiration for the artificial backlighting engineered in the Being Seen Glow Chamber.
As a rawhide artist specializing in positive, site-specific art installations and frame drum making, I sought an opportunity to share that golden, glowing feeling with others, because we all deserve to be seen. When preparing my exhibition plans, I researched feelings of alienation in the post-lockdown era and found that I was not alone. It seemed that people’s recovery and wellness were left behind as the world raced back to action, isolation continued. When my proposal was accepted by the Kingston Arts Council in the fall of 2025, I embraced the opportunity to create Being Seen; maybe this one-of-a-kind art installation could make a positive difference and give a boost to gallery goers.
I am delighted to share that the nine-week run at the Pocket Gallery was a huge success; the public was uplifted and felt the golden, glowing feeling of Being Seen, just as I had planned.
“Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow” is a testament to the power of art in this post-pandemic reality.
On installation day at the KAC Pocket Gallery, Po uses dimmer switches to fine-tune the backlighting, capturing the exact sunlit radiance that evoked a visceral, womb-like sense of comfort for gallery visitors.
Exhibition Documentation Photos
The site-specific Glow Chamber on view inside the Kingston Arts Council Pocket Gallery during the immersive exhibition, “Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow.”
A deliberate conceptual contrast by artist in Kingston Portia Po Chapman: the faded, concrete-grey caution sign reading “when Being Unseen… we fade” stands outside the Glow Chamber, set against the warm light of a handcrafted glowing elk rawhide drum.
Interactive community photo-sharing board and backlit rawhide vessel within the Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow installation at the Kingston Arts Council Pocket Gallery. By the end, Sept 18, 2026, 70 visitor posted their photos which filled the board.
The interactive Glow Chamber from Portia “Po” Chapman’s exhibition when BEING SEEN… we glow, featuring backlit rawhide vessels radiating the natural golden warmth of sunlit rawhide.
Frontal view of “Not a Second,” one of three custom backlit bison rawhide drums featured in Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow at the Kingston Arts Council Pocket Gallery.
Side profile view of a monolith-mounted deer rawhide vessel inside the Glow Chamber, showcasing its intricate stitch pattern, gathered edge skirting, and warm backlighting during Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow.
Three-quarter view of a glowing rawhide vessel mounted on a stone-hybrid monolith panel, revealing organic surface textures and internal backlighting within Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow at the Kingston Arts Council Pocket Gallery.
Corner exterior view of the Pocket Gallery at the Tett Centre in Kingston, Ontario: vinyl decals and an interactive QR code poster invite passersby to explore exhibition details for Portia Po Chapman’s interactive rawhide installation.
Close-up detail of the vinyl decal on the bottom centre gallery window: artist in Kingston Portia Po Chapman highlights the rawhide species featured within the interactive Glow Chamber installation.
Close-up detail of the interactive QR code window decal facing the Tett Centre hallway, inviting visitors to scan for details about Kingston artist Portia Po Chapman and the “Being Seen” exhibition.
Po looks out over the Kingston waterfront from the main foyer of the Tett Centre, standing beside a directional sign for the Being Seen opening reception while wearing a custom team t-shirt featuring her website domain, loveartbypo.ca .
Po stands outside the main entrance of the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning in Kingston, ON, beside the directional sign just before welcoming guests to the Being Seen opening ceremony on July 30, 2026.
The Opening Ceremony and Artist Talk
Po delivers her artist talk to an attentive audience in the Kingston Arts Council “Living Room” space at the Tett Centre, as her drummer listens from the foreground after welcoming guests outside.
Po gestures with arms raised to recount how a moment of sunlight illuminating an elk rawhide drum inspired the concept of Being Seen, addressing guests gathered in the Kingston Arts Council space.
Following the artist talk, guests gather and line up to take selfie photos inside the Glow Chamber installation during the opening reception of Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow.
Po hosts an impromptu storytelling time and Q&A session with a second wave of visitors who were drawn into the gallery by the Tett Centre directional signage.
A musician performs a serene and uplifting full moon vocalization and frame drum piece to conclude the Being Seen opening ceremony, while Kingston artist Portia Po Chapman and her chief volunteer take in the moment.
The original night photograph outside the Portia “Po” Chapman’s Kingston art studio that inspired the entire visual identity, warm glow, and colour palette for “Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow.”
“Po’s Inspiration” artist statement on the interior title wall: artist in Kingston Portia Po Chapman shares the personal story behind creating her interactive glowing rawhide installation.
Behind the Scenes 1: The Build
Kingston artist Portia Po Chapman arriving at the Tett Centre with her full-scale paper template to test accessibility and spatial constraints for the Glow Chamber.
Tracing the site-tested template onto plywood sheets to construct a double-layered, staggered-seam base for maximum durability.
Artist Portia Po Chapman outside her Kingston studio with the four cut plywood base arcs before laminating them into double-layered, staggered-seam pairs.
Artist Portia Po Chapman celebrating as her CAD 3D rendering materializes into a physical 3D structure in her Kingston art studio.
Kingston artist Portia Po Chapman standing with the first hollow MDF monolith structures, engineered for accessibility and tailored to gallery height constraints.
Gluing custom hand-cut stone-hybrid tiles onto the freshly sanded plinth surface in a running bond subway pattern.
A close-up detail showing the grey stone-hybrid monolith standing upon the grouted plinth tiles to evoke a cold, urban architectural landscape.
Rolling out the rawhides (deer, elk, and bison) at Po’s Kingston art studio to select pieces based on their specific colors, textures, and translucency, determining the unique glow each vessel will produce in the Being Seen installation.
Inside her Kingston studio, Po submerses rough-cut rawhide rounds two at a time in a dedicated galvanized washtub, using river rocks to keep the buoyant hides submerged as they hydrate and soften.
To successfully wrap the backlighting diffusers with rawhide for the Being Seen installation, Po pioneered a custom hole pattern through the plastic, allowing the shrinking hide and sinew to glide without warping the structure, a breakthrough achieved after initial failures.
Moving beyond traditional frame drum measurements and tension, Po innovates by employing an innovative backstitch lacing technique on soaked rawhide, draped loosely like fondant over a custom-drilled plastic LED diffuser. This technique allows a natural ruffle to form, which she meticulously molds and trims into a hide skirt to perfectly obscure the fixture hardware.
Converting ceiling lights into plug-in gallery fixtures, Po uses transparent Wago Lever-Nut connectors to safely join the LED wiring to plug-in lamp cords, enabling the entire monolith display to be powered by a single master power switch.
Po packs the delicate rawhide vessels and attached lighting fixtures into labeled boxes for transport in her personal vehicle, keeping them separate from the heavy structural monoliths.
Behind the Scenes 2: Transport and Assembly
Transporting the Glow Chamber: The plinth base and top panel arrive at the Tett Centre side entrance inside the rental cube van. Po and sister assistant Jazz in the background.
Relief and success! Po smiles as the Glow Chamber plinth base clears the side entrance doorway on the first floor of the Tett Centre.
Carrying in the monoliths: Po and assistant transports one of the seven Glow Chamber monoliths into the Tett Centre hallway.
The Glow Chamber structure stands fully erected in the KAC Pocket Gallery with backlighting fixtures mounted and wired through pre-drilled plinth access holes before attaching the glowing rawhide vessels.
Detail view of the back of the Glow Chamber at Pocket Gallery, showcasing grey oak-look wall wraps, textured monolith edges, and cool urban under-lighting.
A deliberate conceptual contrast by artist in Kingston Portia Po Chapman: the faded, concrete-grey caution sign reading “when Being Unseen… we fade” stands outside the Glow Chamber, set against the warm light of a handcrafted glowing elk rawhide drum.
Illuminating Being Seen: With the stepladder removed and rawhide vessels mounted, the Glow Chamber glows warmly in the Pocket Gallery, tuned to site-specific lighting before the rest of the exhibition wall elements were installed.
At the Gallery
Following the artist talk, guests gather and line up to take selfie photos inside the Glow Chamber installation during the opening reception of Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow.
Two of the opening reception’s first guests attach their instant selfies and write a word describing their Glow Chamber experience on the interactive community photo board.
The heart of the community connection: 70 exhibition visitors posted their glowing selfie portraits and personal reflections on the interactive board inside the Kingston Arts Council Pocket Gallery during Portia “Po” Chapman’s Being Seen exhibition (July 27 – September 18, 2026).
Po gestures with arms raised to recount how a moment of sunlight illuminating an elk rawhide drum inspired the concept of Being Seen, addressing guests gathered in the Kingston Arts Council space.
Po hosts an impromptu storytelling time and Q&A session with a second wave of visitors who were drawn into the gallery by the Tett Centre directional signage.
The completed title wall for Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow, featuring a natural deer rawhide floating off the dark wall surface using custom copper pipe spacers.
Marketing and Promotion
Portia “Po” Chapman sharing print materials on the streets of downtown Kingston, using vibrant personal engagement to spark joyful conversations and guide community members to the Being Seen exhibition.
Po looks out over the Kingston waterfront from the main foyer of the Tett Centre, standing beside a directional sign for the Being Seen opening reception while wearing a custom team t-shirt featuring her website domain, loveartbypo.ca .
The official takeaway rack card placed throughout the Tett Centre and Isabel Bader Centre, guiding visitors toward the KAC Pocket Gallery and serving as a keepsake souvenir for attendees.
Elevate Your Space with Groundbreaking, Site-Specific Fine Art by Commissioning an Immersive Art Installation or Host the Being Seen Exhibition
Transform your gallery, municipal venue, or corporate headquarters into a high-impact, transformative cultural destination. Kingston installation artist, rawhide art specialist, and Queen’s University Medal in Visual Art recipient Portia “Po” Chapman (BFAH, B.Ed, OCT) delivers turn-key, site-specific storytelling installations engineered to captivate audiences, foster deep community engagement, and elevate physical environments.
Whether you are seeking to host the uplifting, uber-positive Being Seen: when Being Seen… we glow solo exhibition, complete with its immersive Glow Chamber and interactive community photo archive, or commission a bespoke, multi-sensory art installation tailored specifically to your architectural blueprint, Chapman offers positive, uplifting art installations unlike other artists in the field. Bring a world-class, conversation-starting installation to your community or corporate space.
Custom promotional business card designed by Kingston artist Portia “Po” Chapman to facilitate direct community connections and invite gallery visitors into the Being Seen exhibition experience.
