As an artist-researcher Michelle has been an interdisciplinarian for decades working across and through media that ranges from computational and interactive works, large scale projection to small works on paper to found materials. Bringing the experiential aspects to computer-based works, Michelle and physicist-brother-collaborator explored the poetics of computational works, through interactivity, interface building non-useful artware. Exploring the psychological, political, technical, physical aspects of digital and virtual realms.

As an artist-activist-researcher Michelle embodies an interdisciplinary practice to consider the physical-political-emotional implications of the planned city, activates and messes about in the practiced city through sustained collective and participatory commoning projects, and studies the potential for future urban spaces through the lens of a contemporary art practice.

Michelle combines an MFA from NSCAD University with study at the Knowledge Media Design Institute and M.I. from the faculty of Information at U of T. Currently she is doing doctoral studies at the Environmental and Urban Change faculty at York University. Her topic, ‘The Future Imperfect: Utopic Impulses in a Planned City. Artists and the Potential for transformational urban spatial practice’ is her area of research which looks at and asks how artists and art practices can influence the design of urban spaces, and change how we think about social and public spaces as public goods – from virtual spaces to physical spaces.

MichelleGay_CV_2021