Modern Artist Profile - Fausta Facciponte
/In conversation with Fausta Facciponte, one of the many talented artists participating in the 2025 Mississauga Festival of Trees.
1. Tell us a bit about your art practice. What do you specifically do?
I’m a professional artist exhibiting my work in group and solo shows. I’m based in Mississauga, working independently and on community-based projects.
My art practice revolves around collecting, arranging, and re-presenting objects. I work primarily in photography and installation, and I’m really interested in material culture and our relationship with the material world. A lot of my work is about freeing objects from their familiar contexts and inviting people to see them in a new way … or maybe just really look at them.
Visually, my work tends to move between minimalist and maximalist aesthetics. I’m drawn to both extremes, and sometimes I like to let them coexist in the same piece. That tension feels exciting to me.
Alongside my studio practice, I teach at the University of Toronto and Sheridan College. I mentor emerging artists both through institutions and voluntarily, and I also support community artists through independent curatorial projects.
2. What inspires you?
I’m really inspired by objects…the things we collect, the things we discard, and the stories they carry or hide. I’m usually drawn to used, worn objects that are at the end of their life cycle. There’s something poignant about that. I often think about how objects shape our identity and how they can even have the power to heal.
Thrift stores are a big source of inspiration for me. They’re full of forgotten, everyday things that were once loved or maybe never loved. There’s something special about mundane objects that still hold traces of someone’s life. I find used objects more sincere than new ones…they show wear, vulnerability, and imperfection. They’re qualities that feel deeply human and they remind me that we’re all part of a life cycle too.
3. How do you approach a new project?
I usually start with an idea and tackle what I know… this helps me figure out what I need to learn or explore technically. The beginning process can get messy and frustrating. There are always questions, moments of wanting to scrap it all, but also bursts of energy and excitement. For me, that back-and-forth between uncertainty and discovery is really where the work takes shape.
4. Describe the experience of working with CreativeHub 1352 in Mississauga on a commissioned artwork for the Festival of Trees.
CreativeHub has been amazing! They really get my vision and help make it happen. What I love most is how they create a space where artists are trusted. That kind of support really brings out your best work. They also foster a real sense of community among artists, which makes the process more inspiring. It’s not just about the project but the way they bring people together and encourage dialogue that makes the experience meaningful. One special moment in this project was a discussion I had with Jo and Richard (Program Officer and Installation Lead) at the midway checkpoint. They were so genuinely excited and supportive. Their enthusiasm reminded me that this was a collaborative process, and it made me even more confident in the direction the work was taking.
5. What excites you about Mississauga’s Festival of Trees?
A group show is always exciting. Being surrounded by different approaches and ideas is inspiring, and it’s fascinating to see how other artists interpret the idea of a holiday tree.
Another thing that excites me is the space. As someone interested in objects, material culture, and re-contextualization, the Small Arms Building offers rich layers of meaning. The building connects to important themes like wartime industry, women’s labour, industrial architecture, and heritage preservation. For me, thinking about heritage preservation was central as I developed my installation of stacked boxes. I became interested in how we preserve, contain, or “box” histories, and how we can celebrate the act of unpacking and rediscovering them.
6. What’s in store for 2026?
I’m starting off the new year with a group show at the School of Photographic Arts Gallery in Ottawa, where I’ll exhibit a large wallpaper piece exploring the energy of objects and the power of chaos.
I’m also continuing work on a series of photographs about what it means to be an artist today, focusing on the creative process and the emotional challenges that often go unseen. This feels especially urgent in a moment shaped by the speed and precision of artificial intelligence in making art. I want to emphasize the irreplaceable value of human experience and the resilience required to keep creating.
