erika defreitas
The black madonnas of great echoes no.8

Erika DeFreitas’ multidisciplinary practice includes performance, photography, video, installation, collage, textiles, drawing and writing. Drawing on both personal and cultural histories, Defreitas investigates qualities of absence and presence, coming from her curiosity around the various forms of loss one encounters, and a fear of the loss one anticipates. She explores the dichotomy of absence and presence with the use of a variety of media; placing an emphasis on process, gesture, and documentation – all relating to ways of affirming one’s presence. Erika DeFreitas holds a Master of Visual Studies from the University of Toronto and has exhibited her work widely, nationally and internationally, with recent exhibitions including: The Esker Foundation, Calgary, 2025 (solo); The Immigrant Artist Biennial, The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts Project Space, New York, NY, 2024; a mid-career and touring survey exhibition at The Doris McCarthy Gallery, Toronto, 2023; and TPW, Toronto, 2022.

She is represented by Christie Contemporary, Toronto.

Artwork courtesy of the artist.