Humber College: Arts & Cultural Programming
A Way Closer
In 2021, Humber Galleries and Humber College Lakeshore Campus partnered with Nuit Blanche Toronto, and established the Nuit Blanche Fellowship. Under the supervision and mentorship of Humber staff, a team of seven multi-disciplinary students were invited to explore their individual artistic talents, while working together on the ideation and production of a dynamic artistic project inspired by Nuit Blanche’s 2020-2022 curatorial theme The Space Between Us.
As social, political, environmental, and economic changes dramatically impact our world, humans continue to lose their ability to stay connected as a society. However, art and technology can play a crucial role in constructing and strengthening our relationship with nature, other people, and ourselves. Over 14 weeks and under the guidance of Creative Producer Mason Victoria and Project Lead Diane Pellicone, the Fellows produced an artistic project driven by a narrative journey. Together, they created A Way Closer, a 10-minute interactive digital art piece that invites participating audiences to take on the role of an unnamed character as they try to escape the commotions caused by everyday life. This immersive video game experience reflects on the relationships we can sometimes take for granted, challenging participants to discover what human connections really mean in the wake of unexpected isolation and social upheaval. A Way Closer embraces the passing of time and welcomes audiences to celebrate the bond between art and technology as part of a shared human experience.
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A Way Closer was publicly presented for the first time at the CivicLabTO Academic Summit. Following the demonstration, Mason Victoria and the Fellows were available for a Q&A session.
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Click here to learn more about the Fellowship and watch a trailer of the project.
Moderator:
Jennifer Gordon
Jennifer Gordon
Director, Centre for Creative Business Innovation and Humber Galleries,
Humber College
As the Director of the Humber College Centre for Creative Business Innovation and Humber Galleries, Jennifer Gordon holds a BFA in Drawing & Painting and a BEd in I/S Visual Arts & English, both from the University of Ottawa. Currently, she is a Master of Fine Arts Candidate in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia. An advocate for sustainable growth in the Canadian arts and cultural sectors, Gordon has held roles in business development and training, arts administration, and consulting.
Artists:
Andres Arroyo
Andres Arroyo 
Arts Administration and Cultural Management, Graduate Certificate, Humber College (Class of 2021)
Andres Arroyo is a storyteller at heart. A graduate of the Arts Administration & Cultural Management program at Humber College, Arroyo’s skills are supplemented by his Media Production background. He has worked as a photographer, videographer, sound designer, video editor, and director for many independent and commercial projects in film and TV. Arroyo is also passionate about the cultural industry—its impact on the community, and the vital role it plays in society. 
Dana Forough
Dana Forough 
User Experience Design, Graduate Certificate, Humber College (Class of 2021)
Dana Forough is a graduate of the User Experience (UX) Design program at Humber College. Through her experience as a Customer Experience Director and Digital Marketing Associate, she strives to develop convenient and accessible experiences for users. Forough is often inspired by nature and combines it with her passion for photography and handcrafts.
Matt Greenwood
Matt Greenwood
Bachelor of Music, Guitar, Humber College
Matt Greenwood is a guitarist and composer in his fourth and final year of Humber’s Bachelor of Music degree. He has performed with Zimbabwe’s most acclaimed musicians, including Oliver Mtukudzi, Gemma Griffiths, and Forward Kwenda to name a few. Greenwood has scored several short films, including the award winning animated short “Blue Bird” which was featured at Cinequest, Atlanta Film Festival, New York Film Festival, and New Media Film Festival.
Dhaivat Jani
Dhaivat Jani
Bachelor of Music, Drums & Percussion, Humber College
Dhaivat Jani is a Toronto-based drummer, tabla player, and composer, currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music at Humber College. He leads two of his own bands, Dhaivat Jani PLUS and Electrio, and is also an Artistic Associate at Spectrum Music. Jani has been presented several scholarships and awards such as the CCRT Scholarship from the Government of India and the Yamaha Music Canada Ltd. Award.
Hailey Nguyen
Hailey Nguyen
Bachelor of Design, Humber College
Hailey Nguyen is a multi-disciplinary designer living and working in Toronto. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Design degree at Humber College, where her projects range from branding and product design to research & service design. Nguyen’s curious nature drives her to learn and explore different areas of the creative industry, such as photography and music. 
Mercedes Psenicnik
Mercedes Psenicnik
Bachelor of Industrial Design, Humber College
Mercedes Psenicnik is in her fourth and final year of the Bachelor of Industrial Design program at Humber College. She has experience with model-making, rapid prototyping, user-centered research, and UX/UI.  Psenicnik loves the balancing act between form, empathy, and feasibility within design. Some of her many accomplishments include receiving 2nd place at Humber’s 2020 Chair Show and 2nd place in two of Humber’s sponsored projects.
Mert Tanatmis
Mert Tanatmis
User Experience Design, Graduate Certificate, Humber College (Class of 2021)
As a multi-disciplinary artist, Mert Tanatmis is a believer of change through design. He holds a Graduate Certificate in Post-Production and recently graduated from Humber College’s User Experience (UX) Design program. Tanatmis has experience in media production and design, and is passionate about 3D modelling, animation, industrial design, and more.
Mason Victoria
Mason Victoria
Creative Producer, Nuit Blanche Fellowship 2021, Humber College
Sessional Lecturer, Humber College and University of Toronto
Mason Victoria is an award-winning composer, multi-instrumentalist and sound designer. A Mississauga MARTY Award and Ron Lenyk Inspiring Youth Arts Award recipient, Mason is no stranger in the music scene. He produces concerts with Spectrum Music, directs the 21-member Sonuskapos Jazz Orchestra (SSJO), has collaborated with JUNO-award winning musicians Larnell Lewis, Emilie Claire-Barlow, and Kirk Macdonald, and has had his works performed in Toronto, Calgary, Los Angeles, New York, and Japan. Outside of his live projects, Mason spends his time scoring and designing audio for video games and film.