*Image credit: Ella Dawn McGeough, Change~form_earth worms, Variable, Mixed Media Sculpture, Courtesy of artist
- On view: October 18th to 28th, 2024
OCAD University Hours of Operation - OCAD University, The Great Hall
100 McCaul St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5T 1W1 - Reception: Saturday, October 19th, 12 to 2 pm
- Curated by Niloo Inalouei, Instructor, Faculty of Art and Michelle Peraza, Instructor, Faculty of Art
- Exhibition Coordinator: Madge Yao, Coordinator, Special Projects, Faculty of Art
Between Ashes and Dreams engages with the urgency of the global climate crisis, oscillating between imagination, reality, and future possibilities. Drawing on the intertwined narratives of climate change, migration, and overconsumption, works in the exhibition raise questions about human agency and responsibility. They examine our symbiotic relationships, entanglements, and coexistence with the environment, asking how we might move beyond destruction.
By shifting the focus from human-centred narratives to those of non-human entities, the works highlight the interconnectedness of all life forms, bringing attention to the effects of environmental degradation on all beings. Materiality and innovative methodologies play a central role in the exhibition as artists explore broader themes related to the Anthropocene, asymmetrical experiences of this age, and resilience. The exhibition fosters a tactile and sensorial engagement with this crisis, transforming environmental challenges into personal and collective reflections. It encourages viewers to confront the complexities of this moment, inviting them to think critically about our role in shaping the future. Amid the uncertainty of our environmental future, the exhibition offers space for hope and optimism through imagination, creativity, and collective care, suggesting that alternative paths are not only possible, but vital necessities for our collective future.
Participating artists:
Luisé Cisneros, Soroush Dabiri, Ailin Dong & Xinzhou Zhang, Raha Fard, Juliana Gagné, Shawn Louise Grey, Elsa Hashemi, Supriya James, Joshua Kennington, Ella Dawn McGeough, Köksal Polat, Ariel Schneider, Cissy Shi, Hamed Siamaki, Lisa Skelding, Ryan Thompson, Grace Vali, Michèle White, Laura Wood