New Living Wall Garden by Raquel Da Silva in Rosalie Sharp Pavilion

Raquel Da Silva Wall Work
Wednesday, June 12, 2019 - 9:15am

A new living wall wall work by DRPT student Raquel Da Silva has been installed in OCAD University’s Rosalie Sharp Pavilion. This project was commissioned by the Faculty of Art and the Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD), and generously supported by Mercedes Benz Financial Services (MBFS) sponsorships.

As part of the Faculty of Art’s Painting in the Expanded Field course, students were asked to create site-specific proposals for a window/wallcorner in the recently renovated Rosalie Sharp Pavilion. Taking into account the building’s focus on experiential learning, the CEAD on level 3 and the publicly visible space, seventeen unique proposals were presented.

A committee of representatives from the CEAD, the Faculty of Art and OCAD U’s Health and Safety team shortlisted three proposals before selecting Raquel Da Silva’s project, Garden of CEAD. Raquel’s piece interpreted the CEAD as a safe space which provides students with the opportunities to grow and flourish. With this in mind, this project realizes the concept of a “garden” through the integration of live plants to foster the idea of growth and transformation. The piece is composed of several layers: a background design painted on the wall, wall-mounted planters and several laser-cut shapes and characters. The result is a three-dimensional wall garden that will grow over time.

Special thanks to Colette Laliberté for facilitating this project and making it possible.

Honourable Mentions:
Fourteen Art Students by Brianna Bruce
Sunseed by Hana Elmisry and Nicole Kim

OCAD U celebrates 10th art exhibition at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services

 Participants at Experiencing Perspectives exhibition.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018 - 10:30am

The 10th annual Experiencing Perspectives art exhibition opened on November 13, 2018 at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services (MBFS) in Mississauga. The exhibition featured 75 works by 50 artists including students, alumni and professors from the Drawing & Painting Program of OCAD University. Guests at the reception enjoyed an opportunity to meet with the artists.

The reception was hosted by Leila Matta, Brand Identity, Design and Art Programs Manager, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Americas and Shawna McNamee Director, Human Resources, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada.

OCAD U’s Ilene Sova, Ada Slaight Chair of Contemporary Painting and Drawing and Glen Lowry, Associate Dean, Faculty of Art, thanked MBFS for their generous support in what was described as one of the university’s longest partnerships.

Guests from OCAD U’s Faculty of Art included Anda Kubis, Associate Professor, Laura Millard, Associate Professor, John Deal, Instructor, Colette Laliberte, Associate Professor, Diane Pugen, Associate Professor, Gleny Lowry and Ilene Sova. Additional guests included graduates Amanda Clyne, BFA 2009 OCADU (2009 medal winner - recent acquisition to Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada permanent collection) and Madeleine Bennett, BFA 2018 OCADU; medal winner.

At the event, OCAD University announced its purchase of artist Laura Millard’s work, Ice Circles I for the offices of MBFS. Millard has been teaching studio painting and seminar courses at OCAD since 1995. An active artist, she has exhibited in numerous public, commercial and artist-run galleries across Canada.

A true advocate of the arts, the generosity of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services has benefited OCAD U’s current students and helped shape the success of its graduates. At MBFS, immense value is placed on the influence that art has in the workplace – “Art and creativity fuel personal growth.”

Photo caption for image, above:. 

Marwan Cherri, Business Processes & Controls, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Americas; Anda Kubis, Associate Professor, OCAD U; Laura Millard, Associate Professor, OCAD U;  Amanda Clyne, BFA 2009 OCADU; 2009 Medal winner (recent acquisition to Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada permanent collection, John Deal, Instructor, OCAD U; Madeleine Bennett, BFA 2018 OCADU; Medal winner; Colette Laliberte, Associate Professor, OCAD U; Glen Lowry,Associate Dean, Faculty of Art; Leila MattaBrand Identity, Design and Art Programs Manager, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Americas; Sharyn Ghacham, Communications and Events Specialist, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada, Diane Pugen, Associate Professor, OCAD U; Shawna McNamee, Director, Human Resources, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada; Mary Beth Halprin, Director, Corporate Communications, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Americas; Ilene Sova, Ada Slaight Chair of Contemporary Painting and Drawing.

Poster: 
l-r: Ilene Sova, Ada Slaight Chair of Contemporary Painting and Drawing, OCAD U; artists Diego de la Rosa and SofiL
 Participants at Experiencing Perspectives exhibition.

OCAD U Exhibition Opens at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services

Corridor of office, with art works on walls
Monday, November 6, 2017

The ninth annual Experiencing Perspectives art exhibit opened on October 17 at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, featuring works by students, alumni and professors from the Drawing & Painting Program of OCAD University. The exhibit, featuring more than 70 works by 43artists, opened with a reception at the company’s Mississauga offices. Guests at the reception enjoyed an opportunity to meet with the artists. Special guests included Thomas Beck and Yvonne Denz from the Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce and Judy Leroux, long-standing community partner from Youth without Shelter.

Stefan Karrenbauer, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada, hosted the reception, with Katie Cauzillo, Art Program Specialist and curator of the exhibition, as well as Leila Matta, Art Program Manager who oversees the company’s art exhibitions in Canada and the United States. Guests from OCAD U included Laura Millard, Interim Chair, Drawing and Painting, Anda Kubis, Associate Professor, Faculty of Art and Gillian Flanagan, Senior Development Officer.

This year, the company purchased its fifth art piece for its permanent collection—artist Amanda Clyne’s painting, With Restraint. Clyne participated in the very first exhibition held at their offices in 2009.

At Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, immense value is placed on the influence that art has in the workplace. Thanks to a special partnership with OCAD University, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services enhances its work environment with cutting-edge art from their students, graduates and faculty.

The exhibition can be viewed online at http://mbfs-art.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poster: 
Group of four people talking
Artist Arruniva Mohendran standing next to her art hung on a red wall
Artist Daniel Wu standing next to his abstract painting with pinks and yellows
Painting of a man who looks like Napoleon and a girl dressed as a fair on a camel

OCAD University art exhibition opens at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services art exhibition
Natalie Waldburger, Stefan Karrenbauer and Leila Matta, Photo by John Goldstein
Ghazaleh Baniahmad
Quentin Lindsday and brother
Claire Tatangelo and Friend
Jim Thierry Bravo
Thursday, October 22, 2015 - 4:00am

Ninety-nine works by 74 OCAD University students, alumni and faculty were unveiled October 21 in the Mississauga offices of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services (MBFS). At the opening of the Experiencing Perspectives exhibition, President and CEO Stefan Karrenbauer thanked the artists for bringing creativity and art appreciation to the workplace.

OCAD U alumni from the class of 1971 to the class of 2015 were in attendance, mingling with MBFS staff and invited guests. This is the seventh annual exhibition in the series, and for the past three years MBFS has been purchasing art from these exhibitions for its permanent collection. The company has similar initiatives with art schools in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and Fort Worth, Texas.

Experiencing Perspectives was made possible through the Faculty of Art’s Associate Dean, Outreach, Anda Kubis; Natalie Waldburger, Ada Slaight Chair of Contemporary Painting and Print Media; and Assistant Professor Jennie Suddick. The art will remain in place for a year.

OCAD University is grateful for the generous support of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services which includes The MBFS Direct Entry (to Drawing & Painting) Scholarship, The Drawing & Painting Medal winner award, and funding the DRPT graduate catalogue for the last seven years.

 

Experiencing Perspectives: Art and Business Find Common Ground

Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - 5:30pm

(Mississauga—November 11, 2014) Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada today announced the 2014-2015 installation of its sixth annual Experiencing Perspectives art exhibition, featuring artwork from students, faculty and alumni of OCAD University. The installation is the company’s largest to date and represents a partnership between art, education and business that remains the only one of its kind with the largest and most comprehensive art, design and media institution in Canada. The exhibition was celebrated at the company’s community art reception in its national headquarters in Mississauga on Monday evening. Attendees included: Stefan Karrenbauer, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada; Natalie Waldburger, Chair of Contemporary Painting and Print Media, Faculty of Art, OCAD U; and Anda Kubis, Associate Dean, Outreach, OCAD U.

“Our unique partnership with OCAD U has enriched our work environment and enabled us to support emerging and established artists working and studying in our community for six years,” said Karrenbauer. “This is our largest exhibition to date, featuring nearly 100 pieces of contemporary art. As the program has grown, so has our ability to develop meaningful connections between business and the arts.”

In addition to the art exhibitions, the program offers employees interesting opportunities to engage in art tours, visual thinking discussions and community events. Art has also been used as a creative tool in the workplace, empowering employees to give visual meaning to key business themes and topics.

Another signature element of the company’s partnership with OCAD U is a $2,000 annual award given to a graduating student and a $1,000 annual scholarship awarded to a current student. The purpose of the awards is to recognize talented emerging artists working and studying in the greater Toronto area.

“These scholarships build confidence in students while providing much-needed financial support,” said Waldburger. “In addition, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services is giving graduating students opportunities to exhibit, see their work in publications and experience the momentum of a professional event as they transition into their own professional practices.”

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services’ Experiencing Perspectives program includes several creative partnerships that bring rotating exhibitions of artwork into Mercedes-Benz Financial Services facilities in the U.S. and Canada. The program began in 2001, when the company partnered with the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. In 2008, the program expanded to the company’s Fort Worth, Texas, Business Center through partnerships with the art schools of SMU and TCU. In 2009, it expanded to Mercedes-Benz Financial Services’ Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, through a partnership with OCAD U.

“Through our partnership with OCAD U, art has become a foundation that bridges community and workplace culture together,” added Karrenbauer. “Some may wonder if it adds value in a business environment. I would say it has absolutely played a valuable role in expanding perspectives, inspiring creative thought and cultivating innovative ideas.”