WESTERN FRONT – Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah

Description:

Produced in partnership with The Capilano Review, Dear Friends & is a monthly series showcasing the work of local and touring Canadian writers. Taking place on the first Thursday of each month, readings are hosted in the Grand Luxe Hall and made available to virtual audiences by livestream.

The series’ name draws inspiration from the salutations and sign-offs used by Roy Kiyooka in his Transcanada Letters (1975), a collection which details the comings and goings of his literary sociality across Canada, the network of people and relations that enfold his writing, and the longings of his “Heart’s Geography” to be near the ones he loved. Kiyooka was an important figure for both Western Front and The Capilano Review, and this series invites his spirit of kinship, connection, and conviviality into the reading space.

This event included readings by Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, and Fred Wah.

Fred Wah opened the event with a selection of poems accompanied by a projected image of David Garneau’s painting Spine, which depicts a buffalo vertebrae balanced between two hardcover books. Wah’s set concluded with a poem written in response to this painting, which was commissioned for the publication Dark Chapters: Reading the Still Lives of David Garneau (2025). Dorothy Trujillo Lusk presented a selection of published, new, and collaborative poems featuring texts reflecting on brain injury. The evening closed with visiting reader Cody Caetano who shared a chapter titled “The Pink Robots” from his novel in-progress, followed by his poem “Bardo” (2023).

The reading unfolded against a projection of resident artist Jonathan Alfaro’s monotype print Satsuma Orange from the series Daylight Lover (2024). Produced especially for Dear Friends &, Alfaro’s new suite of works were inspired by the imagined flourishes that might be found in the margins of love letters.

The evening was hosted by Deanna Fong.

Presented with support from the BC Arts Council.

Deanna Fong stands at a wooden lectern in a dark room, backgrounded by black curtains. She is lit by a direct spotlight coming from above. She wears open brown hair and a black see through crochet turtleneck with a black tank top. She is in the middle of speaking, her lips slightly parted — her face appears serious and determined. She pinches a white piece of paper sitting atop the podium.

Fred Wah, standing at a wooden lectern illuminated by a spotlight. He wears a grey linen shirt with an unzipped, navy blue sports vest. His background is dark, with only creases of a black curtain visible. He's in the middle of speaking, his mouth parted and expression focused. Atop the podium, his hands hold a white paper. He speaks into a cylindrical mic, which leans against the front of the podium.

Fred Wah, speaking at a wooden podium into a mic. He wears a grey linen shirt with an unzipped, navy blue sports vest. He is in the middle of speaking, with a pensive expression. He is gripping a white sheet of paper, resting his hands atop the podium.

Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, reads poetry to an audience in a darkly lit hall. She stands to the right of a projected screen, illuminated by a spotlight. She is in the middle of speaking. Projected on the screen is an image of a monotype with a striking coral background.

Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, stands at a podium, speaking to an audience. She wears a light grey sweater and brown glasses. She grips a piece of paper with one hand while the other rests on a canvas bag atop the podium.

Dorothy Trujillo Lusk speaking at a podium, lit by a spotlight. Backgrounded by black curtains, she wears a grey sweater and glasses. She is in the middle of speech, gesturing with her hands.

Cody Caetano stands at a wooden lectern, lit by a spotlight. He is in the middle of speech, gripping a stack of paper in his hands. He wears an orange jacket and a cream sweater.

A hall full of audience members face Cody Caetano while he speaks at a podium, under a spotlight.

Related People

Captions:

Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah, video documentation, Nov 7, 2024. 59 min. 7 sec. Camera by Will Fitzsimmons.
Deanna Fong at Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah. Nov 7, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Fred Wah reading at Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah. Nov 7, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Fred Wah reading at Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah. Nov 7, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Fred Wah reading at Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah. Nov 7, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Dorothy Trujillo Lusk reading at Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah. Nov 7, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Dorothy Trujillo Lusk reading at Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah. Nov 7, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Dorothy Trujillo Lusk reading at Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah. Nov 7, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Cody Caetano reading at Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah. Nov 7, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Cody Caetano reading at Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah. Nov 7, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.
Cody Caetano reading at Dear Friends &: Cody Caetano, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Fred Wah. Nov 7, 2024. Photo by Rachel Topham Photography.

Back to:

Western Front is a non-profit artist-run centre in Vancouver.

We acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations as traditional owners of the land upon which Western Front stands.