Onsite Gallery, OCAD University’s flagship professional art gallery, was buzzing with excitement at the launch of two new exhibitions on Jan. 22.
More than 300 people attended the opening reception for Presence in a Past or an Undetermined Future., guest curated by Avalon Mott, the inaugural recipient of The Delaney Family Emerging Curator’s Prize, and Fortitude/Fragile, guest curated by Magda González-Mora.
Both exhibitions, which are on view until May 17, encourage self-reflection and mediations on human nature. Onsite Gallery will be hosting a series of tours, discussions and panel talks exploring the themes of these exhibitions as well as the artistic and curatorial practices.
The evening also celebrated the new digital mural on the gallery’s façade – Maliina, created by artist Coco Apunnguaq Lynge as part of Up Front: Inuit Public Art @ Onsite Gallery.
Presence in a Past or an Undetermined Future., curated by Mott, features work by Nabil Azab and Shannon Garden-Smith. The exhibition contemplates the present by considering the past and imagining the future. Viewers are invited to confront their own thoughts and feelings through immersive artworks.
The opportunity for Mott to curate the exhibition was made possible by the generous gift from Kiki Delaney and The Delaney Family that led to the creation of The Delaney Family Emerging Curator’s Prize.
This prize supports a recent OCAD U Criticism & Curatorial Practice graduate in presenting a curatorial project at Onsite Gallery, with the goal of advancing their professional development.
“Presence in a Past or an Undetermined Future. embodies the core values of Onsite Gallery, emphasizing experimental curatorial practices and deep engagement with artists and their work,” says Ryan Rice, executive director and curator of Indigenous art at Onsite. “We are thrilled to provide a platform to nurture the growth of emerging talent while fostering meaningful artistic exploration for our visitors.”
Onsite Gallery also celebrated the opening of Fortitude/Fragile, guest curated by Magda González-Mora, a Toronto-based independent curator, art critic and consultant. This new exhibition examines the uniquely human refusal to succumb to despair in challenging times.
Featuring works by acclaimed artists Sandra Brewster, Regina José Galindo, Shabnam K. Ghazi, Francisco-Fernando Granados, Coco Guzmán, Caroline Monnet, Vessna Perunovich and Anila Rubik, this exhibition highlights human resilience, the importance of regenerative learning and the importance of decisive actions.
Galindo, a Golden Lion winner at the 2005 Venice Biennale, flew in from Guatemala City for a live performance titled Oro/Gold. Video documentation of the performance is on view for the run of the exhibition.
Onsite Gallery is generously supported by The Delaney Family, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario.
