"beginning, breaking & becoming" by Ashlynn Doljac

113Research at OCAD University presents the exhibition beginning, breaking & becoming, which features corresponding photographs and paintings that demonstrate Ashlynn Doljac's inquiries as artist and researcher into intergenerational trauma.

Curated by Pam Patterson and Grace MacDonald, the exhibition is part of the OCAD University’s 150th anniversary celebrations which launch in October 2026.

In taking on this deeply reflective practice, Doljac also reveals her personal journey to recovery. Like a pendulum, the viewer’s eyes swing from looking at startling black and white, almost abstract images that sear the pictorial ground to brightly coloured, intentionally naively rendered paintings that depict joy, love, and familial harmony. In the spaces between, places are opened for the viewer to discover potential stories of recovery.

EXHIBITION DETAILS
July 8, 2026, to June 2027
113Research, 113 McCaul St., Fifth Floor

Please consult the OCAD U website for hours of operation for 113 McCaul St. for viewing hours.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Ashlynn Doljac is a multidisciplinary artist, poet, art educator, workshop facilitator, member of the Connection Earth Collaborative, and an OCAD U Faculty of Art graduate. She is passionate about using art as a healing modality for self-expression and growth.

Doljac is also an expressive art practitioner and has had exhibitions in galleries such as Shō Gallery in Windsor and Gallery 1313 in Toronto. Her body of work was recently on exhibition in her debut solo show From the Ashes at Centre 3 Art Gallery in Hamilton. Painting and poetry are two of her most ardent pursuits as she uses art to capture intricate impressions. Both practices align with her purpose in, and vision for, the world.

Image: Ashlynn Doljac, From the Ashes, acrylic and gouache on canvas. A human face, with starkly defined nose and lips, emerges alongside expansive phoenix-like wings through drifting smoke and ash. The composition blends dark, heavy textures with warm, glowing tones, evoking a sense of release, transformation, and renewal. 

ABOUT 113RESEARCH
113Research is research-creation exhibition/project space located at OCAD University on the fifth floor of 113 McCaul St. with Assistant Professor Dr. Pam Patterson as its director.

Sponsored by the Faculty of Art and the Office of Research and Innovation, this research-creation exhibition space explores making practices, collaboration, pedagogy, and the challenges of institutional growth.

113Research mounts three exhibitions/projects per year: the fall is an open call to faculty/student groups or individuals at OCAD U while the winter features projects that address pedagogy. The spring invites community researchers to share research and potentially contribute to the Summer Institute.