Image: Quarantine Faces by 2022 Drawing and Painting graduate Rabiyah Sagheer.
Exhibition showcases different perspectives of living during a pandemic
The pandemic presented a unique environment to create in a time and space like never before.
And now, a new OCAD U exhibition, Chancellor Jaime Watt’s Gallery: Creative Resilience, Resilient Creativity, presents works by 20 emerging artists that express a range of what it meant to create during a pandemic – from themes that include profound loneliness and isolation, resiliency, innovation and experimentation.
The free exhibition builds on the success of OCAD U’s recent GradEx 107 and opens on Thursday, June 9 at 6 p.m. in the lobby of First Canadian Place at 100 King St. W. Sponsored by Brookfield Properties and Navigator, the public can view the works until June 24.
“Many of us are still coming to terms with the impacts of COVID-19, personally and professionally, individually and collectively,” says Jaime Watt who was appointed OCAD U’s fifth Chancellor for a four-year term on January 1, 2022.
“Art and design have a unique way of meeting us wherever we are and helping us move forward and rebuild. This exhibition brings together diverse perspectives on the journey of the last couple years and our changed world,” he says.
The exhibition’s curator, OCAD U graduate Marilyn Adlington, agrees. “There have been so many challenges faced by artists and arts workers throughout the pandemic. As a curator, I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity to engage with so many talented individuals who have shown what resilience looks like from so many distinct points of engagement.”
Adlington is a scholar, curator and arts writer based in Ontario. She completed an MFA in Criticism and Curatorial Practice in 2021 and was a recipient of the OCAD U Medal and President’s Award for her thesis research project.
“It is my hope that the exhibition brings a light to the incredible work that has been done, against all odds, over the past three years and provide an environment that captures this collective experience in a way that feels realistic, relatable, and promotes a sense of connection.”
For some of the participating artists, COVID-19 unlocked new skills and ideas. Rabiyah Sagheer is a Canadian-Pakistani artist based in Toronto. She started out hoping to improve her portraiture skills and ended up leading a collaboration with colleagues, friends, and family, in which a collection of unique faces was brought together to form a single artwork.
“The quarantine period was incredibly difficult and challenging for everyone involved, so as a creative, I wanted to work towards creating a piece that had a sense of community, inclusivity, and joy,” notes Sagheer in her artist statement.
Michael Thompson, a Toronto-based illustrator, focused on the need for intimacy. Thompson’s work explores the tension between being close to one another in the same city while quarantining or connecting virtually to stay safe.
“The creative professionals coming out of OCAD U are first rate and worth getting to know. As we rebuild our economy and reflect on the impacts of the pandemic, these 20 artists and designers present thoughtful pieces that help us build empathy and grow together,” says Watt. “I encourage everyone to visit the exhibition.”
Featured artists and their year of graduation
Athena Nemeth, 2021
Brian Jiang, 2020
Esther Do Yeon Kim, 2021
Harlie Reiss, 2020
Heejae Jo, 2020
Jennie Lau, 2022
Leah Probst, 2020
Michael Thompson, 2021
Minah Lee, 2021
Natalie Wesselius, 2021
Nicola Infanto, 2021
Nicole Ji Soo Kim, 2020
Rabiyah Sagheer, 2022
Raha Fard, 2022
Ryvin Angco, 2021
Sara Abulkarim, 2022
Sarah Dufresne, 2021
Stephanie Camille, 2021
Tenzin Tsering, 2021
XY (Cindy) Zhao, 2020