Dana Wait

Hello, I’m Dana 

I have become obsessed with waste and trash. My practice is growing roots at the intersection of art, ecology, and education—cultivating knowledge in all its dimensions. It is situated in deep time—where place and time are inseparable–refusing a linear division between past, present, and future; an interconnected way of living which comes with responsibilities and considerable obligations as stewards of the land for future generations. This research with iMAE emerges from a deliberate commitment to explore non‑dominant ways of knowing; more‑than‑human, queer, decolonial, mythical, magical, and neuro-spicy—building an artistic practice grounded in collective ways of being. It involves understanding dimensions of wild intelligence, cultivating mutualistic relations, and understanding how to diversify the ways we sense, make, and learn. Fungi have been my trusted guides; they model how artistic researchers and educators can un(ravel) and un(learn) dominant ways of knowing—striving for symbiosis within complex ecosystems. I aspire to emulate mycelial networks–utilizing hidden potential, working with waste, building reciprocal relationships that honour a multitude of perspectives.

Here, I’ll share key projects that emerged—especially during my three months of fieldwork in Tangier, Morocco, with Darna.

Bailey and I were introduced to the Malabata Wetlands, a vital stopover ecosystem for migratory birds across the Strait of Gibraltar—yet it’s severely under acknowledged and full of trash. Every week we showed up to clean what we could as a gesture of care for the landscape—our hot pink dish gloves making us highly visible.
Over time, our presence led to spontaneous encounters with passersby: a camel handler, the wetlands’ guardian, a man walking his dog “Cookie,” a woman collecting snails, and more. Some exchanges involved shared language, others did not, but our intention was clear and often met with gratitude. A key moment of visibility referred to as the “Walk of Shame” by professor John Reardon was when we transported the garbage bags two and a half blocks to the nearest dumpster. The walk along the busy street felt like a public performance of sorts, prompting reflection on the dominant human role in ecosystems and the impact of our behavior. Through these experiences at Malabata, we saw real potential in this approach for building connections—between the people cleaning together, strangers and the landscape.

Collaboration with Bailey Flinn

I began collecting (hoarding) plastic and mesh shopping bags and intuitively transformed them into yarn to crochet with. This process became collective as my peers and Darna’s staff added to the collection—I even took daily “trash walks” to retrieve bags from the dumpster. In total, I used 336 bags to create fringey costumes for women I developed special connections with at Darna’s Women’s House while working in the kitchen and weaving studio, to wear in a parade. The garments celebrate and honour these women, and the joy they radiate, holding memories and stories shared between strangers and friends. This artistic research process brought me closer in contact with waste, allowing me to embody a more fungal mindset—shifting my relationship to trash. 

Inspired by the hospitality Darna and its staff exudes, Rosa Smits and I proposed a community project to develop a rooftop herb garden—growing herbs to be used for fresh tea in their restaurant below. This initiative worked across many of Darna’s sites, including their Pedagogical Farm where the plant beds were thoughtfully crafted from found materials. With the help of many hands; welding, painting, digging, lifting all the supplies, and more, the garden was realized. We feel grateful to have participated in an initiative that will continue to grow beyond our short time in Tangier.

Collaboration with Rosa Smits