2025 / Written by Carolyn Dunn

It was an unseasonably warm April in Toronto, art patrons walking through the bustling convention centre. The Artist Project is in full swing with rows of artists standing before their own works, awaiting the attention of prospective new buyers. Against a flurry of brightly coloured booths, a dark and moody corner beckons. “The Unhappy Gay Man”, a vintage book, is under glass on a pillar. A handsome young man dressed chicly approaches to introduce himself as the artist, Alek Bélanger. He politely tolerates my lame joke about the English language and the irony of homonyms (“gay” means happy no?). “I read this book - it’s gay conversion literature that I turned into queer-afirming poetry.” He gestures to a wall of framed pages where he crosses out the hate and leaves only words of beauty and love. The wall of the sleekly framed poems are burnt, distressed and censored. His series, “Portraits” encompasses these poems as well as larger complimentary pieces. There are large, mixed-media pieces on canvas with photographed male nudes, acrylic paint and gold leaf. They convey confidence, sensuality but carry the continuity of the dark tones and rough edges of his poem pieces. The booth is garnering a lot of intrigue and Bélanger is attentive to his patrons. He captivates passersby with his approachable nature in an effort to create a sincere dialogue. Direct yet disarming he conveys his artistic intentions, “My approach to the work is to bring awareness and then light to a dark side of homosexuality - that we can find love among the hate.” 

Almost a year later with a new series to be unveiled, I had the opportunity to sit down with Alek and discuss his work. 

CD: “Portraits” made its New York debut last year. How was your work received?

AB: Portraits first debuted early in 2024 in Miami at Majo Design Art Gallery. I had never shown my work in the states before. Because I had a familiar crowd supporting me, it felt very encouraging and validating. I headed to New York in the spring of 2024 to The Other Art Fair - a totally different style of showcase with no existing network. I had the [conversion] books on display alongside the framed poems - just as I had at The Artist Project in Toronto. But the reaction from the American patrons really stood out. People would be curious but quickly turn to me with concern or confusion. Canadians are known for their intense politeness so many people were reluctant to ask questions. Alternatively, people in New York would often assume I had undergone conversion or that I was forced to read the books. They didn’t assume it was my free choice to do so. They entered a mode of worry and to know more about my story and how I’ve found my freedom. The books really inspired thoughtful questions from attendees - often who had not taken in the art works themselves yet. It was very apparent that people were more on edge about restrictions imposed on freely and openly gay. This sunk in with me that even I had a choice to make this art, outside of it being a personal trauma I went through.

CD: Facing hurtful narratives about shame in one’s sexuality, how do you stay positive and light?

AB: I didn’t even realize what I was signing myself up for. I think that you can’t be too fearful and need to embrace some danger. But protect yourself and your heart. I surround myself with the most supportive people: my mom and I wake up everyday and everything we do stems from love. When I first invited these hateful texts into my life, I needed my own space, away from my home and keep it constrained within my art studio. It did start to impact me and I needed to be able to shed that feeling and go home. My creative time in the studio was an opportunity to reflect on my own demons - work through the shame, process and acknowledge it. It helped me look at what hurt me in the past as a little gay boy. In some way, reading gay conversion books healed some of my trauma - it made me love myself even more.

CD: Your playful nature compliments your professional side. Your recent work also mixes elements - dark palettes, traumatic source material but uplifting narratives. Once you have your inspiration, how do you choose what mediums to work with?

AB: I was originally in love with abstract art as I worked through what I was trying to convey. I think I was finding my voice. My first thought now is the theme - what conversation do I want to push through a gay lens. Once I know, I think of the medium that will best convey what I'm trying to express. With my poems, it had to come from the physical text in the conversion books that I would black out. I wanted to add more layers to that. Adding burnt wood showcased the depth. This was of course through process and experimentation. I know that I'll keep adding more and more layers, try new ones, take some away. The original idea always evolves.

CD: What’s next for Alek Belanger?

AB: There has been lots of creation, developing and testing materials out the last few months. My newest series Out of Print is inspired by the beauty in gay archival text and seeing how communities came together during suppression. It is as relevant now as it was back then. It's fascinating to see the resilience of the queer community even as far back as the 50s and through other trying historical times. That inspires me and is always trickling into my conversations on how we can lift each other up. I’m appearing at a couple of  shows across Canada this spring and summer. I hope to show my work around the world and keep mixing more mediums: film making, collaborating with people in fashion, music. I’m a dreamer and I love to see how my creativity can transform conversations about the LGBTQ+ community.

Written by Carolyn Dunn / 2025