In honour of the Pan Am games and the launching of a new undergraduate specialization: Life Studies, OCAD University is hosting a month long exhibition dedicated to figuration. The Festival of the Body officially opened on January 12, and will continue to run until February 12, 2015. The work on display addresses the figure and the human body in relation to contemporary art and social issues. Both current and alumni students were asked to submit relevant work for the exhibition. The pieces featured in the show were selected following a juried curatorial process. Paintings make up the majority of the exhibition, although sculptural, mixed media, and photographic works also make an appearance. While the emphasis of the exhibition is on figuration, both abstract and representational works that address the human body are presented.
Sam Nolan, “Untitled”
The painting in the middle: Sarah Letovsky, “You Remind me of Someone”
Selected works from Life Studies students (from left to right): Hannah Kaplan, “I won’t tell you a thing” 2014, Mercedes Campagna, “Eric (june 10, 2009)” 2014, Renee Hayward, “Fight/Flight”, Sheldon Storey, “Hold me Up (she made me feel so small when she said the things she did)” 2014.
The Festival of the Body is installed in OCAD University’s Great Hall at 100 McCaul Street. The exhibition itself will be open to the public for a full month, with panel discussions every other week. On Thursday, January 29th from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. a performance and video event entitled “Festival of the Body Part II: Speculative Bodies” will be held in OCAD University’s Great Hall and Central Hall (Room 230, 100 McCaul) as part of the exhibition. On Thursday, January 15th, participating artists and curators are available to address the show and the work at the “Festival of the Body: From the Figure to the Body” panel discussion. This panel is free to attend, and is open to the general public from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Visitors are also welcome to attend the “Whose Body?” panel discussion on January 22nd, and “The Festival of the Body: Science” panel on February 5th. Both panels run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in OCADU’s Great Hall.
Text and photo: Madeleine Till
*Exhibition information: January 12 – February 12, 2015, OCAD University, 100 McCaul Street, Toronto.