Q & A: HAUITM Discusses Shedding Light on Underrepresented Figures Through Art

(Photo credit: Michael Cooper)Canadian-based mixed media artist, director, and librettist HAUITM (he/they) uses his platforms to explore the intersections of race, gender, identity, and sexual orientation and to amplify underrepresented themes, myths, and histories. HAUITM is published by Playwrights Canada Press and has collaborated with leading arts organizations such as Canadian Opera Company, CBC, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Stratford Festival, and Shaw Festival. In 2025, HAUITM serves as the artist-in-residence at Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center and is this year’s Chalmers Arts Fellowship recipient.

His work pushes the limits of traditional media by blending art and activism to illuminate overlooked histories and forgotten narratives.Nicole Martorana, the Director of Programming for The Watermill Center said of HAUITM’s upcoming residency, “We could not be more pleased to welcome HAUI and Monique as Artists-in-Residence and to support their collaboration with all the resources our program has to offer. Their project, “Four in the Morning,” examines the nuanced path of transcending societal norms and takes a cross-disciplinary approach to its complex themes, aligning with Watermill’s ethos of risk-taking and experimentation.



”HAUITM did a deep-dive with OperaWire into the premiere of “Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White” at the Canadian Opera Company, the topic of “Black firsts,” and on future projects.OperaWire: What inspired you to create “Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White?”HAUITM: Portia had an undeniable magnetism. I wanted to tell the story of an extraordinary figure who, despite her immense significance, remained largely unknown.

As I delved deeper into her story, it became clear how powerful it would be to share it through the art form that rejected her in her lifetime. That realization became a driving force to illuminate this overlooked legend while navigating the balance between history, myth, and legend, which are central to my work.OW: Can you talk about creating a work for someone with little known about them and what information you had going in?HAUITM: My entry was through Sheila White (Portia’s niece) who is a wealth of knowledge and was incredibly welcoming to me from the get-go.

On the surface there is moderate information readily available about Portia but you have to search. Her legacy appears like footnotes, which can feel like an afterthought.From her early years to the establishment of the Portia White Prize, she made international recognition as a concert singer before teaching in her later years.

She was honored with a (postage) stamp, and there are other seeds of beautiful facts about her life, however it was an effort to unpack her history. I wanted to bring her front and centre. The work from beginning to premiere was over a six year period of my life.

In some ways there’s more artistic license with someone who’s lesser known. You get to fill in those gaps and blend the lines between history, myth, and legend. Often, people want to dispute how true a myth is, but many times artists use fiction to speak to a deeper truth.

I think that’s the power of what we get to do in in these great stories. What excites me about lesser-known figures is the opportunity to explore the myths and fictions that surround them, allowing me to reconstruct elements of their history. If I had the chance to work on a more well-known figure, I’d approach it with the same curiosity—examining both the established narrative and the untold layers beneath it.

OW: Tell me about the music.HAUITM: Opera felt like the right medium to share a Portia’s story and music, and to redefine what opera is through an Afro lens exploring her life through spirituals and expanding to jazz, hip-hop and the range of Black artistic expression. But, I think a big turning point for myself and my collaborators was how we drew parallels between opera and Black church.

People see them as such polar forms but they’re really not at their core. Looking at the score like “musical scripture” was eye-opening and unlocked a lot for us creatively. We took it as way to reconstruct the cannon through an Afro-centric lens, which was so unique and personal for us.

There could be a version of the opera where there was one Portia and a chorus of 30 people – that’s one conventional way of doing it – but I think on a dramaturgical level I was so fascinated with this idea of death, which is kind of macabre in a way. This and the fractured ways in which Black bodies have been forced to assimilate in dominant white society, while looking at someone’s life through their body, soul, and spirit. It was such a spiritual process.

I know that sounds cliché, but it was wild to arrive at that being someone that was not raised in that world. It felt almost fated to be aligned with Portia in that way.OW: What did you take away from this production?HAUITM: What I find fascinating about her is that she’s part of a larger, continuous collective.

The diaspora knows no borders; whether Canadian or American, her story is a Black story, and that’s truly universal. That’s what I aimed to advocate for with the piece. I didn’t want it to be just another one-off, which often happens with “Black firsts.

” We don’t ever quantify “firsts” in the same way with our white counterparts. It’s a phenomenon that consistently happens with Black individuals, and it doesn’t allow for a sense of continuity.For a new work with not much material available, I was happily surprised by how quickly we sold out.

It was really such a testament to me of how we as Black people turn up when we really want to see something. The demand for more work like this to exist is just so apparent.OW: What are your hopes for “Aportia Chryptych” moving forward?HAUITM: I’d love to do it again! We’re talking to producers about taking Portia overseas in the next few years, which would be amazing!OW: What’s next?HAUITM: This summer I’ll continue developing a project entitled “Four in the Morning,” which explores mixed-race love and Jazz set during the Harlem Renaissance.

It’s thrilling to delve into a period nearly 100 years ago, especially as we find ourselves in the midst of another renaissance, one that amplifies diverse perspectives.This work will continue its development at the prestigious Watermill Center, founded by the legendary director Robert Wilson. As a long-time admirer of Bob’s incredible body of work, I’m excited to expand my own practice, creating and exchanging ideas with international artists on the world stage.

As someone born from Black and white love, it’s an incredible opportunity to explore the nuances of my own experiences—class, race, and my British and Caribbean upbringing—and how those elements shape this new piece. The characters I’m creating are anything but conventional; they are deeply complex individuals grappling with bold, dangerous ideas.The Watermill Center provides the perfect environment to deepen this exploration alongside a vibrant group of global artists, in a space that fosters bold thinking and fearless creation.

The next steps after this will be finding the right home and producer for this work in Canada, the US, or the United Kingdom—or perhaps all three.In addition to my work at the Watermill, I’m excited to announce the upcoming release of my audiovisual piece, “Aunt Harriet,” this fall, which will be featured in multiple galleries. Along with the support of the Chalmers Arts Fellowship from the Ontario Arts Council of Canada, this is shaping up to be a year of growth—deepening my craft and creating the space to dream even bigger.

Read Related StoriesCanadian Opera Company to Present ‘Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White’Russell Thomas, Iestyn Davies, Kseniia Proshina, Quinn Kelsey & Karen Cargill Lead Canadian Opera Company’s 2025-26 SeasonThe post Q & A: HAUITM Discusses Shedding Light on Underrepresented Figures Through Art appeared first on OperaWire..