HAUI
HAUI (born Howard J. Davis)[1] is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist who directs, designs, and devises cross-disciplinary work. His practice explores themes of race, gender, identity, and sexual orientation, and engages with underrepresented narratives, mythologies, and histories.[2] Early lifeBorn in Bath, Somerset, HAUI is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University.[3] CareerHAUI’s notable works include his 2017 short film C’est Moi, which explores the life of Marie-Josèphe Angélique. It engages with Canada’s legacy of slavery and systemic racism, using symbolic storytelling to foreground suppressed historical narratives.[4] Internationally, the film was recognized for its visual symbolism, poetry, and educational value.[5] HAUI directed his documentary feature-film debut MixedUp. The film was co-produced with trans filmmaker Jack Fox and produced in association with OUTtv (Canada).[6] It examines mixed-race identity, queerness, and personal history through a multidisciplinary lens. Etalk host Traci Melchor praised the film’s ability to “allow people to begin to heal.”[7] He also directed and devised the 2SLGBTQIA+ installation Private Flowers, commissioned by the City of Toronto for Pride 2023. The work centered on queer histories and memorialization through movement, memory and music.[8] In 2024, HAUI wrote, directed, and co-composed Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White, a theatrical work created in collaboration with conductor-composer Sean Mayes.[9] The piece, which centers on African Nova Scotian contralto Portia White, premiered at the Canadian Opera Company and was described by Opera Canada as “an exciting testament to the wealth of innovative creativity alive in our local contemporary opera… showcas[ing] more diverse voices.”[10] It received the 2025 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Opera/Musical and Outstanding Ensemble in an Opera.[11] Awards2023 Isadore Sharp Outstanding Recent Graduate Award.[3] 2025 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Opera/Musical and Outstanding Ensemble in an Opera[11] References
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