OCAD University

"Making Peace is a major public event that aims to teach the public, especially young people what key elements are necessary to create a 'sustainable peace'; providing an opportunity for people of all ages to get involved in bringing about positive change. Activities include a large photographic exhibition that pays tribute to the people who — all over the planet — devote their time, energy and resources to the cause of peace."

The Registry, an interactive installation from Mariam Magsi's Purdah thesis exhibition at OCAD University, has been selected for exhibition at Making Peace curated by Ashley Woods, former curator of Magnum Photos and current curator at the Nobel Peace Prize Museum in Stockholm.  

All are welcome to attend the opening celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, May 13, 2:00 pm, Front Street East, Canary District, Corktown, Toronto.

More on Making Peace: https://www.makingpeace.org/en/

More on Mariam Magsi's artwork: https://www.mariammagsi.com/

More on the IAMD program at OCAD University: http://www.ocadu.ca/academics/graduate-studies/art-media-design-masters.htm

"To ‘strike a chord’ is to create or trigger an emotional negative or positive response to an action. In this exhibition, artists respond to times of peril and violence: they retaliate with protest, search for healing, all while conjuring an atmosphere of resistance. At times when our role as citizens seem to ever more bluntly demonstrate that actions need to be taken in order for there to be change, Montreal-based artist Claudia Bernal, Toronto-based artists —Coco Guzmán, Julieta María and David Constantino Salazar— use performance, video, installation, sculpture and drawing to position themselves as activists in a society that has revealed its ultra-right wing ideology. 

Artists in Strike a Chord present multiple perspectives and offer various tools to activate social integrity, social justice, and respect. While both Bernal and Guzmán tackle performance and drawing as change catalysts and see the power of individuals capable of redefining the course of history through memory and action, Salazar reveals the vulnerability we all share and the obstacles that expose our precarious lives. María offers a comforting and nurturing encounter with our mothers, revealing our instinctive nature to survive despite sentiments of fear and isolation lingering in the world today. During times of uncertainty and anxiety, it is artists who create meaning and a sense of purpose when all else seems to be crumbling. Artists raise their voices; they elicit and provoke those who do not want to change and strike something within all of us. 

This exhibition is co-presented by Mayworks Festival of Working People and the Arts"

More on the exhibition can be found on the Sur Gallery website: http://lacap.ca/sur-gallery/current-exhibition/single-view/calendar/2017/04/13/event/tx_cal_phpicalendar/strike_a_chord/

A review of Strike a Chord on akimbo: http://www.akimbo.ca/akimblog/?id=1243

More on the IAMD program: http://www.ocadu.ca/academics/graduate-studies/art-media-design-masters.htm

The work of two IAMD MFA candidates is featured in this week's Toronto Star, representing the cultural diversity and variety of work produced by the OCAD student body.

Thomas Haskell's thesis work Mas-Queer-Raid is a collection of sculptures "that are inspired by the folklore of the annual carnival showing his multi-faceted heritage" as a European creole born and raised in Trinidad. More on his work can be found online: www.instagram.com/tshaskell

Mariam Magsi's thesis work Purdah is focused on imagery of Muslim identity and expression specific to the practice of women wearing burkas. Speaking to her work, Magsi states that "'Photography has the power for social change and it can shift perceptions'...adding that she hopes the storytelling and images can inspire viewers to question their own assumptions and biases against women in burkas." More on her work can be found online: www.mariammagsi.com

These two students, along with 10 others in the IAMD program, are exhibitiing artwork in OCAD University's 102nd Graduate Exhibition, a five day cross-campus exhibition of the work of more than 900 undergraduate and graduate students.

Artwork by all participating IAMD students is on view in GradEX from May 3 - 7, 2017 in the Ada Slaight Gallery on the second floor at 100 McCaul Street.

GradEx opening hours:

Opening Night Celebration Wednesday, May 3, 6:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Thursday, May 4, 9:30 a.m.– 8 p.m.
Friday, May 5, 9:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, May 6, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 7, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The full Toronto Star article can be read online here: www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2017/04/27/asian-ocad-students-mock-resum-forces-others-to-see-who-i-am.html

More on the Interdisciplinary Master's in Art, Media and Design program: www.ocadu.ca/academics/graduate-studies/art-media-design-masters.htm