Award-winning British artist Ryan Gander visits OCAD University on April 28 for a conversation ahead of the unveiling of his new sculpture The Cat, the Clock and the Rock.
At On Cats, Clocks, Rocks, Fables, Melting Snowmen and Magic 8-Balls, Gander will reflect on his multi-year partnership with the University and discuss his artistic practice.
The unveiling of his sculpture takes place on April 29, marking a significant milestone in the artist’s collaborations with the University and Lanterra Developments, which commissioned the sculpture in 2021 to accompany its Artists’ Alley condominium development.
The Cat, the Clock and the Rock, Gander’s first permanent public sculpture in Canada, will be installed in the condo’s public concourse at 234 Simcoe St., which connects Simcoe St. and St. Patrick St.
The public art project led to several partnerships between the artist and OCAD U, says Associate Professor Derek Sullivan, who chairs the Integrated Media and Sculpture/Installation program. He was a member of the jury that selected Gander’s work.
Several students shadowed Sullivan throughout the sculpture’s development process, each receiving a Lanterra-funded stipend for their participation.
“Working with Ryan Gander through his Lanterra Developments commission created a diverse range of educational and creative opportunities for our students,” explains Sullivan. “They’ve had an opportunity to learn about the public art process and to work on research and projects with this important artist.”
Sullivan and Gander later collaborated on A Melted Snowman, a week-long workshop funded by Lanterra. With Sullivan’s support, Gander mentored six OCAD U research assistants on urban explorations and interventions in neighbourhoods surrounding the University’s campus.
At the conclusion of the workshop, the students worked with Gander to create an interactive artwork based on a Magic 8-Ball. Attendees of the April 28 discussion will have an opportunity to see this artwork, a copy of which is a promised gift to the University.
For the final phase of the collaboration, Gander launched an open call for OCAD U students to submit short, contemporary fables that used the title The Cat, the Clock and the Rock. The project aimed at inspiring writers to think imaginatively about the artwork’s title without having seen the work itself.
A jury panel will select final works to appear in a print collection. The book will be a collaboration between students in the Creative Writing and Graphic Design programs. It is expected to be released in the summer of 2025.
