Madelyn Gowler is a queer, film-based artist focusing on materiality and experimental processes of image making. They are currently residing in the Canadian prairies – Winnipeg, MB and received their BFA from the University of Manitoba. They mainly work with textiles, installation, super 8 film, and analog photography. Their practice focuses on meditative processes of deconstruction, repurposing, and film as subject. Their films
have been screened locally and internationally at ‘Engauge Experimental Film Festival’ in Seattle, WA, USA (2023), ‘Experiments in Cinema v18.4’ in Albuquerque, NM, USA (2023), and ‘Saint Bimbo: Film Church No.11’ in Ridgewood, NY, USA. Gowler’s work has been exhibited at Ace Art Inc. (2025) in “Poetics of Light: Experiments in Photography”, MAWA (2025) in “Seamless Transitions”, and the University of Manitoba Collections Gallery (2023) in “Indeterminate Limits”.

The project I was working on at the Fish Factory was a direct animation using 16mm and 35mm film. I started the residency making phytograms on film, which is a process started by Karel Doing – soaking objects in a solution of washing soda and vitamin c powder then placing it on light sensitive materials. I used sea water to mix the solution then soaked rocks, sand, grass, and seaweed, placing it on unexposed 16mm film emulsion. I also taught a phytogram workshop outside with the community using both film and darkroom paper. The group had brought leaves, flowers, sticks, and rocks.

I used previously shot film and my phytogrammed film to etch, collage, draw, write, cut, hole-punch, cyanotype, and stamp onto. I carved lino to mimic the northern lights we’d seen one night. The short clips of text I incorporated were inspired by my stay – “Crunch under the soft bed” was from walking on a moss covered
mountain, hearing the crunch and shifting of the eroded rocks beneath. “Lie down for the all encompassing blue” was drawn from being so relaxed gazing upon the blue of the water and lying on the trampoline, looking up at the clear blue sky – the title of my film will be “All Encompassing Blue”

I took field recordings for my film while I was working by the water. The sound of the water running along the rocks was indescribable, sounding kind of like tiny bells chiming all at once. I then layered improvised piano playing overtop of the singing water and rocks. One of my side projects was weaving film and seaweed around rocks I found by the water. I loved playing
around with the variety of shapes and colours of the rocks, the different hues of seaweed, and the visuals of the film I had on hand. I also photographed a lot of the town on film, as well as playing around in the ceramic room, experimenting with making whistles. I had managed to make a whistle in the shape of a fish!

https://www.madelyngowler.com/

Instagram: @ma_elyn