2024 NUIT BLANCHE: OCAD University co-presents two events that will bridge the distance between Toronto and Kenya and create connection to navigate the climate crisis

"Riparia" will transform the Canada Malting Silos into an aquatic temple with two mythical goddesses, made and performed by Lithuanian-born artist and filmmaker Emilija Škarnulytė.

OCAD University is joining with the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Canada and The Metipso Portal International to bring two unique events to life as part of Toronto’s 2024 Nuit Blanche. The all-night free celebration of contemporary art takes place on October 5, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Both events are aligned with this year’s theme for Nuit Blanche, Bridging Distance. The Metipso Portal International will link the urban community of Toronto with a rural community in Kenya at OCAD U, 100 McCaul St. Hosts stationed on each side of the portal will expertly guide live conversations and audience interactions, providing a dynamic cultural experience for visitors in both locations. 

Riparia will transform the Canada Malting Silos into an aquatic temple where two mythical goddesses, made and performed by Lithuanian-born artist and filmmaker Emilija Škarnulytė, will help audiences navigate our current environmental and social crises. 

ABOUT RIPARIA

Co-presented by OCAD University’s Global Centre for Climate Action and the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Canada, Riparia by Lithuanian-born artist and filmmaker Emilija Škarnulytė will transform the newly repurposed Canada Malting Silos, Bathurst St. and Queen’s Quay W., into an aquatic temple. The title of the exhibit comes from the Latin “riparius,” a noun deriving from ripa, meaning "bank" or "shore.” 

Viewers will experience a mesmerizing film odyssey where mythical goddesses, part-human and part-aquatic animals, converge to form a sanctuary of worship, emotional reckoning, and scientific inquiry. They will witness these prophetic hybrid beings through diverse visual perspectives across the Rhône River arising from the juxtaposition of opposing forces between the technological and mythological, unveiling broader interconnections between the sacred and the ruinous, inviting a new approach to navigating crises like climate change.

This event is a new partnership between OCAD University and the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Canada to collaboratively present works at art festivals in Toronto.  The event is supported by Panasonic with technical partner FutureTalk.

ABOUT THE METIPSO PORTAL INTERNATIONAL

The Metipso Portal International is a 12-hour live and interactive event, co-presented by OCAD U’s Onsite Gallery, an official major institutional partner of Nuit Blanche, and The Metipso Portal International Mud Hut Media Lab. 

This exciting, multi-faceted exhibit will link Toronto to the mud hut media lab, located on the edge of a protected forest in the highlands of Central Kenya. It will take place in the main auditorium at OCAD University, 100 McCaul St. and has been orchestrated by lead Canadian artists Joel Richardson and Susan de Freitas and Kenyan Olympic Gold medallist Matthew Birir.

The event is being hosted by an array of who’s who from ActionCan Films, including Benjamin Blais, John Fleming and newcomer Arleigh Curran from Toronto, along with the Metipso TV team in Kenya. METIPSO LIVE, LIVE! will be presented at 11:30 p.m.

Visitors will experience live interactions between the bi-continental hosts, audience members, fun games as well as talented performances from both locations, including cellist Margaret Maria, Traditional Village Singers and Cocanina. Throughout the evening, visitors can also participate in a live Zoom call where they can meet and interact with a member from Metipso.

The Metipso Portal International is curated by Lisa Deanne Smith, Senior Curator, Onsite Gallery, and made possible through Onsite Gallery’s generous support from The Delaney Family, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Council.