Nicole Anne Santangelo

Artist

Nicole is an artist who currently resides in Mohkinstsis/Calgary who has a fascination in the fleeting nature of digital media, drawing parallels between its ephemerality with ghosts, memories, and the human experience. Through different art forms, her practice explores the complex nature of the self in a world that is constantly changing due to globalized capitalism and distant spiritualism. She holds a BFA, major in Media Arts with a minor of Object Design & Digital Fabrication from Alberta University of the Arts.

She currently listens to atmospheric black metal and enjoys walking around downtown to see the lights reflecting on the glass buildings to reduce her concerns about the rapid advancement of technology.

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Oil Pastels

✧Selected works✧

Nakahinumdom pa ko Nimo; Wa na Tika Naabtan

A performance where Nicole reconnects with her ancestors by talking to the spirits of the deceased about what she learned about them from her living relatives and her sentiments toward them. This performance is reminiscent of a tradition from the Philippines called Undas, wherein families flock to the graves of their dearly departed, pray and tell stories about them.

In Carl Lorenz Cervantes's book, Kapwa Spirituality, he stated that "when a person dies, they become part of nature. They become Anitos". Cervantes explained that the Anitos are ancestral spirits who joined other astral beings in a different realm. Through his works, Nicole learned that Filipino spirituality heavily relies on anitism, comes from the Hispano-Filipino term "anitismo", which is a worship of anitos or ancestor spirits. Despite being a mostly Catholic nation, Filipinos still practice Indigenous traditions and rituals that may be considered Pagan practice, one of them being Undas.

When Nicole arrived in Canada, her family stopped doing the Undas tradition because they were on a different land. The only thing they were able to offer were their prayers.

Out of Reach

In this installation, Nicole channels her emotions and memories into an act of prayer and remembrance, focusing on a departed relative. At the center of the installation, an altar dedicated to her grandfather serves as a physical manifestation of her devotion and sacred space for spiritual communion. Adjacent to the altar, a large wall acts as a canvas for the projection, becoming a portal where the intangible essence of Nicole's likeness is made visible.

The parallels between spirits and the projection aspect of the work are deeply intertwined. Like spirits, projections exist in a liminal space between the tangible and intangible. They possess an ephemeral quality, flickering between reality and illusion. embodying the intangible nature of memories and emotions. Through the act of projecting a video of herself onto the wall, Nicole strives to bridge the gap between the physical and the spiritual, inviting the viewer to contemplate the inherent interconnectedness of our world.

Out of Reach seeks to evoke a poignant exploration of absence, presence, and the enduring power of love and memory. It is an intimate invitation to witness the yearning, solace, and hope that arise from our human longing to connect with those who have departed.

EMMEDIA 👾 on Instagram: "Check out Nicole’s work alongside @merylprendergast and @husky_jacq at the opening reception TOMORROW at Emmedia, 6-9pm. This exhibition is free and there will be food and drinks available at our opening reception. “Memory + Nostalgia” will be available to visit until April 11th, from Tuesdays to Saturdays 12pm-6pm. #emmedia #yycarts #calgaryevents #mediaart"

55 likes, 4 comments - emmediayyc on March 26, 2026: "Check out Nicole’s work alongside @merylprendergast and @husky_jacq at the opening reception TOMORROW at Emmedia, 6-9pm. This exhibition is free and there will be food and drinks available at our opening reception. “Memory + Nostalgia” will be available to visit until April 11th, from Tuesdays to Saturdays 12pm-6pm. #emmedia #yycarts #calgaryevents #mediaart".

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✧Ceramic Sculptures✧

✧Publications✧

Emerging Art Writers Program 4 - Magic + Ritual | Alberta University of the Arts

Emerging Art Writers Program 4 - Magic + Ritual Digital publication

auarts.ca

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