DXC Summit features "Counterbalance" exhibition

On April 3, 2025, the DemocracyXChange Summit will feature Counterbalance, as part of the summit’s opening night exhibition, presented in collaboration with OCAD University and the Delegation of the European Union to Canada.

This unique showcase explores the creator's vital role in civil discourse and how art can serve as a force for democracy, fostering transparency, accountability, and new perspectives.

The exhibition spotlights emerging youth artists selected for their thought-provoking works that responded to the counterbalance theme. As power structures shape and shift, artists act as a counterbalancing force, championing transparency and accountability towards our shared humanity and responsibility to the land and its ecologies.

The following artists were selected to present their pieces during the summit’s opening night, taking place at OCAD U’s Waterfront campus, on April 3, from 6 to 10 p.m.:

• Ailin Dong (Canada) – Knitting Echoes: Dong's multidisciplinary piece uses textiles and technology to symbolize democracy's resilience under technological authoritarianism, presenting fabric as a living metaphor for identity negotiation.
• Alicia Hrvatin (Canada) – Transform: Hrvatin’s interactive work invites audiences to engage with the effects of digital surveillance and algorithms on personal and collective socio-political perspectives.
• Kroplya (Estonia / EU) – Zelenka: This Belarus-born artist’s multimedia installation sheds light on the complexities of borders as humanitarian traps, shaped by bureaucracy and ideology, where individual identity is overshadowed by political structures.

Workshops and interactive opportunities
Two of the participating artists will also lead interactive workshops at DXC25, which are designed to deepen public engagement with the exhibition's themes. From algorithmic bias to the reinvention of traditional crafts as resistance tools, these sessions will inspire participants to reflect on art as a medium for critical dialogue and societal transformation.

Workshop details
On Saturday, April 5, at Toronto Metropolitan University, (55 Dundas St. W.), the following workshops will be offered to DXC25 attendees:

• Algorithms & Us: (Alicia Hrvatin) at 12:30 pm
• Knitting Echoes: Weaving Identity and Resistance (Ailin Dong) at 1:40 pm

Through the Counterbalance exhibition, DXC25, OCAD U and the EU, are championing the voices of youth artists; elevating their work and fostering critical conversations on how art can resist suppression and inspire new democratic futures.

This is the second collaborative effort between OCAD U and the EU – the first took place during 2024 Nuit Blanche in Toronto. The expansion of this partnership within the framework of the DXC Summit demonstrates an ongoing commitment to support emerging artists in the EU and Canada, and to showcase their work and engage in dialogue alongside civic, policy and creative leaders.

About DemocracyXChange
DemocracyXChange (DXC) connects, celebrates and equips people who are taking action to strengthen democracy. Co-produced by OCAD U, The Open Democracy Project and the Dais at TMU, Canada’s premier annual democracy summit takes place in Toronto from April 3–5, 2025. Join us and help tackle today’s most urgent civic issues. Challenge assumptions and take action.

About the Delegation of the European Union to Canada
The Delegation of the European Union to Canada is the official diplomatic representation of the European Union in Canada. As the EU's primary presence in the country, we work to strengthen political, economic, and cultural ties between the European Union and Canada. We facilitate dialogue on shared priorities including trade, climate action, security, and innovation through the implementation of the EU-Canada Strategic Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Our team promotes EU policies and interests, fosters people-to-people connections, and supports collaboration in research, education, and cultural exchanges. The Delegation serves as a vital link between Canadian stakeholders and EU institutions, while also providing information services to the public on EU developments and initiatives.