Sarah Bassnett co-authors new book 'Photography in Canada, 1839-1989'
September 22, 2023 Sarah Bassnett and co-author Sarah Parsons (York University) have released a new book, Photography in Canada, 1839-1989: An Illustrated History. Published by Art Canada Institute, it is available now open access online, and it will be published in print in the coming months. This is the first comprehensive book on the history of photography in Canada.
Art Now! Presents: Brandon Vickerd
Thursday, September 21 at 7PM In partnership with McIntosh Gallery, Art Now! is excited to present a talk by artist Brandon Vickerd on Thursday, September 21 at 7PM. Brandon Vickerd is a Hamilton based artist and Professor of Sculpture at York University, where he also serves as Chair of the Department of Visual Arts and Art History. He received his BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (1999) and his MFA from the University of Victoria (2001).
In Memoriam - Raymond Moriyama
September 2, 2023 The Department of Visual Arts is saddened to learn of the recent passing of Raymond Moriyama, a renowned architect behind the design of some of Canada's most iconic buildings, including the John Labatt Visual Arts Centre at Western University, which he designed in 1993 and Museum London in downtown London.
Kirsty Robertson wins Creation and Research in the Visual Arts Prize
September 18, 2023 Professor Kirsty Robertson has been awarded The Grantham Foundation: Creation and Research in the Visual Arts prize which includes $5000 and a one-month residency at the Foundation in the coming year. Prof. Robertson’s project “Plastic Atmospheres: Of Textiles, Microfibers, Art, and Air” takes one of the most common manufactured items in the world – a synthetic textile – and uses its disintegration to read the world.
Quinn Smallboy: String Theory | University College
Friday, November 29 at 11:30am On Friday, September 29th the Faculty of Arts and Humanities will celebrate the installation of two recent pieces by local artist and alum Quinn Smallboy (MFA '18), acquired by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in 2023, to honour and observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Unveiling of the artwork and remarks will be followed by a reception.
Brittany/Andrew Forrest: Gasp | Satellite Project Space
September 13 - September 22, 2023 Brittany/Andrew Forrest second year MFA candidate is pleased to present their exhibition at Satellite Project Space, "Gasp". On view September 13 - September 22, 2023. Join us for the closing reception on September 22 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm
Ode to the River Coffeehouse | Cohen Commons
Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at 5pm You're invited you to take part in an extraordinary celebration of water at Riverfest 2023 Ode to the River Coffeehouse event. Get ready to dive into the depths of inspiration and hear from different artistic expressions, as we pay tribute to Deshkan Ziibi and the limitless power of water itself.
Centre for Sustainable Curating launches MATERIALS research cycle
September 28th, 2023 On September 28, join the Centre for Sustainable Curating online and in person for an open house, a workshop, and a series of short talks. All times EST. Closed captioning available for online talks.
“The Creation of a ‘Transcendental Experience’: Stained Glass by Christopher Wallis for St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Ontario,” by C. Cody Barteet and Katie Oates
August 30, 2023 Professor Cody Barteet and Katie Oates recently published “The Creation of a ‘Transcendental Experience’: Stained Glass by Christopher Wallis for St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Ontario,” in The Journal of Stained Glass: British Society of Master Glass Painters.
“Timed Space: De Stijl’s Framing of Four-Dimensional Space/Time in Two Dimensions” by John Hatch
September 4, 2023 John Hatch’s article “Timed Space: De Stijl’s Framing of Four-Dimensional Space/Time in Two Dimensions” has just been published in the volume Perspective: Selected Essays on Space in Art and Design edited by Sarina Miller as part of the Vernon Press’ Series in Art
Doors Open: London’s Heritage Through Cuisine
Museum London ,Saturday, September 16, 2023 Join artist Ron Benner at Museum London on Saturday, September 16, 2023 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm for the annual outdoor corn roast. Enjoy corn on the cob with butter, salt, chili powder, and lime juice freshly roasted from Benner's Maiz Barbacoa — part corn roaster and part sculpture. Live acoustic music by Frank Ridsdale accompanies this feast. On Sunday from 12:00 pm to 12:40 pm, the London Symphonia presents an informal cushion concert for ages 3+ with music from around the globe and will be followed by a Q&A with the musicians.
Art exhibit reimagines T.S. Eliot’s ‘The Waste Land’ in times of climate change
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Emily Passfield ,Western News ,July 31, 2023 Topic Share Explore All News Hannah Verster was contemplating the significance of T.S Eliot’s The Waste Land, which describes the concerns and fears of society after World War I, when she began wondering if those concerns, particularly about ecology, could be reflected in current fears about climate change. The result is a unique, interdisciplinary art exhibit helmed by the masters in visual arts student. ‘A heap of broken images: revisiting The Waste Land through art in a time of climate crisis’ has been created in collaboration with Western’s geology and earth sciences department.
Brittany Forrest is awarded the See|Me Student Prize
August 16 - September 24, 2023 Congratulations to MFA candidate Brittany Forrest as she was recently awarded the See|Me Student Prize in the NEW REALISM / ALTERED REALITY exhibition competition. Brittany's work will be featured in the group exhibition at Gallery 23 NY in New York City which opens on August 16th and runs through September 24, 2023.
Myles Jackson Lynch: Cryptic Landscapes | Forest City Gallery
Forest City Gallery ,August 12 - 19, 2023 Forest City Gallery is delighted to be presenting the FCG Feature Award for this year's Annual Juried Exhibition from August 12 - 19. Myles Jackson Lynch, BFA, Hons. will be presenting his series, Cryptic Landscapes, with a celebration event scheduled for this Saturday, August 12 from 3-5pm. If you are in the neighbourhood, do come by! Detail image of Myles Jackson Lynch, Cryptic Landscape 3. Image courtesy of the artist.
Explore Indwell’s Embassy Commons Public Art in London
August 1, 2023 Explore the creation of the Embassy at Nite mural by Jamelie Hassan and the Love, Hope, and Belonging mosaic on the exterior of Embassy Commons in London, Ontario, a supportive, affordable housing building by Indwel.
Western’s new Indigenous artist-in-residence brings multi-hued approach to traditional creations
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Jo Jennings ,Special to Western News ,August 2, 2023 Leith Mahkewa looks forward to a homecoming of sorts as she returns to Western as the incoming Indigenous artist-in-residence beginning in September. The master beadwork artist anticipates using her practice to connect with new audiences once stitch at a time, while also growing as an artist herself.
Alyssa Sweeney: Confined by Darkness | McIntosh Gallery
August 3 - September 8, 2023 Alyssa Sweeney's MFA thesis exhibition 'Confined by Darkness' is on view at the McIntosh Gallery starting August 3rd with a closing reception scheduled for September 8 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. 'Confined by Darkness' uses night photography to explore themes of place attachment and psychogeography of the surrounding environment. By venturing out alone while most are fast asleep Sweeney captures images in a way that most people infrequently see. Sweeney explores the emotional and mental connection to being physically present within the space, thus rendering the subject matter available for individuals to evoke their own experiences and memories in response.
Welcome, Leith Mahkewa as the Incoming Indigenous Artist-in-Residence
July 25, 2023 The Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Department of Visual Arts are excited to announce that beadwork artist Leith Mahkewa has accepted the role as our second Indigenous Artist-in-Residence to start this September! Welcome, Leith Mahkewa - we are honoured to have you and look forward to engaging with the work you will pursue during your residency.
Reports: Kelly Greene, Artist Residency, Western University
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Matthew Ryan Smith ,First American Art Magazine, Issue #39 ,Summer 2023 Matthew Ryan Smith (PhD '12) recently published a three-page report which is included in Issue #39 of First American Art Magazine that highlights Greene's McIntosh exhibition, ArtLab exhibition, Glenhyrst exhibition, and her role as Indigenous Artist in Residence in the Department of Visual Arts. residency obligations. I've attached the report for your records.
Masha Kouznetsova: sweeping the forest floor of frequencies | Artlab Gallery
Closing Reception: Friday, August 11 from 5-7PM Masha Kouznetsova's MFA thesis exhibition will be on view in the Artlab Gallery from July 27th to August 11th. "sweeping the forest floor of frequencies" is an exhibition of multidisciplinary works that foreground sonic, visual, and imperceptible signals as methods for grounding and interconnectedness. Search begins with intention but letting go of intention and forgetting about the search is key to wayfinding, to pausing. A series of such intuitive pauses results in archipelagoes of objects and processes that are the aleatory compositions within the installations of sweeping the forest floor of frequencies.
Bibliography | MKG Gallery
July 8 – August 19, 2023 MKG127 is excited to present Bibliography, a group exhibition including new and existing works by gallery artists including: Dean Baldwin Lew, Alan Belcher, Adam David Brown, Bill Burns, Michael Dumontier, Dave Dyment, Liza Eurich, Sara Graham, Instant Coffee, Laura Kikauka, Kristiina Lahde, Jason Lujan, Gwen MacGregor, John Marriott, Luke Parnell, Roula Partheniou, Geoffrey Pugen, Jayce Salloum, Monica Tap, Joy Walker, and Laurel Woodcock. The format of the book has proved remarkably resilient in the face of breakthroughs in other technologies. Its early demise has been predicted continually – with the advent of cinema, television, the personal computer and the e-book reader. Image caption: The Officer's Wife, bass wood, book excerpt, 3.75" x 10" x 2.5”
Mike Pszczonak Awarded CIBC C2 Create and Curate Art Program
June 14, 2023 Congratulations to MFA '15 alum Mike Pszczonak for being selected as a winner of the CIBC C2 Create and Curate Art Program! (C2 Art) is a Canadian national art competition which supports emerging artists in launching their careers. Mike Pszczonak is one of two artists who will create and curate their art to be presented in a solo exhibition inside the CIBC headquarters, CIBC Square South Tower in Toronto, Ontario.
Indigenous Art 2023 | Woodland Cultural Centre
July 29th at 2PM Woodland Cultural Centre invites you to the opening reception of Indigenous Art 2023 on July 29th at 2PM in the gallery. Join us to celebrate amazing Indigenous artists at the 48th Annual Indigenous Art Exhibition. This exhibition is in partnership with The Brown Homestead.
Queer Frontiers Screening and Publication Launch | LOMAA
July 25, 2023 at 7pm EDT Join LOMAA in the celebration of the Queer Frontiers series with a screening and publication launch featuring a conversation by artists and activists Rodney Diverlus and Syrus Marcus Ware! Tuesday, July 25, 2023 at 7pm EDT. Pre-Register for Zoom link.
FAMILY PORTRAITS films & video by Charlie Egleston, Philip Hoffman, & Naomi Uman
Friday, July 28 at 7pm A selection of works by filmmakers exploring ancestry from places of origin through the language, customs, myths & rituals of hallowed sites and historical remnants of familial lore to personal reflections on immediate members through the voices and faces of loved ones remembered. Presented in partnership with FRAMES Film Series. Friday, July 28 @ 7pm, TAP Centre for Creativity.
Hannah Verster: “A Heap of Broken Images:” Revisiting The Waste Land through Art in a Time of Climate Crisis
July 17 - August 21, 2023 MA candidate Hannah Verster's exhibition “A Heap of Broken Images:” Revisiting The Waste Land through Art in a Time of Climate Crisis” features her artwork and the work of Zachari Logan, Reilly Knowles, and Amanda White. The exhibition will be presented in Western University’s Biological & Geological Sciences Building (across from BGS 0162) from July 17 - August 21, 2023.
Hannah West: What Has Been and What Will Be | 10C Shared Space
July 5 - July 27, 2023 Congratulations to current MFA candidate, Hannah West whose first solo exhibition "What Has Been and What Will Be" will be on view at 10C Shared Space in Guelph from July 5th - 27th, with an opening reception on July 7th from 1pm to 3pm.
Alum announced as a recipient of 2023 Redefining Canadian Art History Fellowship Program
Art Canada Institute ,June 23, 2023 Alum Jennifer Orpana (MA '10, PhD '15) was announced as a recipient of the Art Canada Institute 2023 Redefining Canadian Art History Fellowship Program for her research on the 'Life and Work of Violet Keene Perincheif'.
Imagine: Student Book Art Exhibition
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Western Libraries ,July 1 - 31, 2023 Experience the visual culture and imagination of our students through a book art exhibition. Imagine was produced by eight Masters and PhD students, and Professor Patrick Mahon, who came together in the graduate studio seminar entitled, On the Purposeful Imagination. The work will be on view in The Reading Room in the Archives & Special Collections, Weldon Library for the month of July.
Shelley Niro (MFA'97) recieves honorary degree from Western
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Western Communiations ,Western News ,June 21, 2023 Congratulations to alum Shelley Niro (MFA '97) as she is among 14 leaders to recieves an honorary degree at Western this spring. Shelley Niro is a painter, photographer and filmmaker. Born in Niagara Falls, New York, she is a member of the Turtle Clan, Bay of Quinte Mohawk Six Nations Grand River Reserve. Her passion for art was sparked early on, thanks to growing up in an artistic community. Niro received an MFA from Western in 1997. While still a student at Western, Niro shot one of her films, Honey Moccasin, with the help of a Visual Arts class. She was awarded the Canada Council for the Arts Governor General Award in Visual Art in 2017. She became an honorary elder in the Indigenous Curatorial Collective. In 2020, Niro was presented with the Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award from the Ontario Arts Foundation.
Philip Gurrey: Potential Indifference | Artlab Gallery
June 15 - July 6, 2023 The work of PhD candidate Philip Gurrey are on view in his solo exhibition "Potential Indifference" in the Artlab Gallery from June 15 - July 6, 2023.
Recent donations to the Department of Visual Arts
June 20, 2022 The Department of Visual Arts graciously accepted two donations from the London arts community earlier this month. We want to express our deep appreciation to Western alum Brenda McLeod and the Canadian Embroiderer's Guild: London, who recently donated a custom-built embroidery frame constructed by a fine wood artisan Brian Gray. We would also like to thank Museum London for donating an etching press, which is an incredible addition to our printmaking studio. We look forward to seeing the new work student will create with this equipment in the fall!
Embassy Cultural House: Celebrating 40 Years of Cultural History | Satellite Project Space
June 14 - June 24, 2023 Embassy Cultural House: Celebrating 40 Years of Cultural History is an exhibition that charts the past and present programs of the Embassy Cultural House. Beginning with the Embassy Hotel in 1983, the exhibition acknowledges the efforts made by a network of artists and activists in London, Ontario and internationally, including the current, re-invigorated community collective initiated in 2020. The exhibition has been coordinated by Ron Benner, Jamelie Hassan, Wyn Geleynse and Olivia Mossuto. A closing event will take place at Satellite Project Space on Saturday, June 24 from 2-5PM.
Kim Neudorf: the signs appear as in aspic | Thames Art Gallery
June 16 - August 13, 2023 Congratulations to Kim Neudorf whose solo exhibition "in the signs appear as in aspic" opens at Thames Art Gallery in Chatham on June 16 and runs through August 13. Join Kim Neudorf for an artist talk on June 23 from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm in Studio One, Cultural Centre and a painting workshop on June 24 (registration required).
Art show addresses issues of race, gender, sexuality, and diaspora
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Megan Stacey ,Western News ,May 19, 2023 Faculty, staff and artists gathered at Western's artLAB for the opening reception of its newest exhibition, "of many worlds in this world," including the chance to walk across a recreation of the Deshkan Ziibiing, or the Thames River, a work by Sheri Osden Nault.
Anahí González: Hacia Arriba / Upwards | Xspace Cultural Centre
May 26–July 8, 2023 Congratulations to PhD candidate Anahí González whose solo exhibition "Hacia Arriba / Upwards" is on view May 26 - July 8 at Xspace Cultural Centre and is included in the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival in Toronto.
Londombia | Satellite Project Space
May 17-27, 2023 Juan Andrés Bello, in collaboration with members of the Colombian community present ‘Londombia’ at Satellite Project Space. This photo exhibition celebrates the presence and many contributions of the Colombian community in London. It is the result of a crowd-sourced, participatory process. Its production was supported by the City of London through the London Heritage Council – Community Heritage Investment Program and will be presented in association with several partners: Satellite Project Space, CulturX, and Embassy Cultural House.
Congratulations to Professor Patrick Mahon on his Upcoming Retirement
Thursday, May 11, 2023 On Thursday, May 11, the Department of Visual Arts hosted a reception to celebrate Prof. Patrick Mahon's many accomplishments throughout his 28 years at Western University. Current and previous students, friends, and colleagues from Western and the wider artistic community were present to honour his legacy. As many speeches underlined, Patrick's impact was vast, the initiatives he took were abundant, and he has inspired and guided many in their academic and artistic journey. Patrick, you will be missed—our best wishes for a happy retirement.
Brittany/Andrew Forrest Publishes The Imaginary Imagination
May 10, 2023 'The Imaginary Imagination' the recently published ebook was written by visual artist and MFA candidate Brittany/Andrew Forrest (she/her). This book acts as an appendage to her art practice. It contains a collection of vulnerable autobiographical accounts that embody themes that consider identity dysphoria, perception fabrications, mnemonic memory retrieval, power dynamics, sensory perception, gender assimilation, and sexual autonomy in relation to childhood, adolescent, and adult trauma.
Patrick Mahon: Thresholder Early & Recent Works (1989–2023) | Cohen Commons
May 4 - June 8, 2023 Thresholder: Early & Recent Works by Professor Patrick Mahon is on view now in the Cohen Commons until June 8, 2023. Mahon notes "The works in this exhibition, some of which were made 35 years ago and others completed last month, may nonetheless suggest that I have continually been attuned to flux and uncertainty. As an artist I have indeed been preoccupied with things in states of suspension or passage ––threshold moments."
of many worlds in this world | artLAB Gallery
May 4 - June 8, 2023 "of many worlds in this world" curated by Ashar Mobeen, PhD candidate, features the work of new studio art faculty members, Soheila Esfahani, Jessica Karuhanga and Sheri Osden Nault. Mobeen writes: “of many worlds in this world showcases a selection of works by Soheila Esfahani, Jessica Karuhanga, and Sheri Nault that address issues of race, gender, sexuality, and diaspora whilst pushing the limits of what art is and can be. The established and dynamic poetics of the show encourages viewers to respond and/or attend to their local surroundings, personal or national histories, and, most crucially, other people. Given the discursive nature of the subjects, this exhibition does not claim to be comprehensive, but rather acts as a platform for the emergence of a revisionary moment where the audience can engage in intergenerational dialogue and come together to displace the imagined histories that shape our world.”
Sydney McArthur Awarded Melanie A. Townsend Scholarship for Museum and Curatorial Studies
May 4, 2023 On May 3rd, Museum London awarded the inaugural Melanie A. Townsend Scholarship for Museum and Curatorial Studies to Sydney McArthur. This $2,500 award assists students at Western University who demonstrate exceptional dedication to museum studies. The scholarship honours Melanie Townsend — Head of Exhibitions and Collections at Museum London from 2004 to 2018.
Virtual Encounters: Endlings (Raven Chacon & John Dieterich) and Ellen Moffat | LOMAA
Thursday May 18, at 7:30pm EDT LOMAA is excited to present new contributions to a project by Endlings (Raven Chacon & John Dieterich) and premiere a new work by PhD alum Ellen Moffat for the Virtual Encounters series. On Thursday May 18, at 7:30pm EDT, Raven Chacon & John Dieterich will host a performance of Parallel 03 with collaborators from London ON and Winnipeg WB. To follow, Raven Chacon & John Dieterich will come together in virtual conversation with Ellen Moffat. This is presented in partnership with send + receive: A Festival of Sound. Both the works and talk will be available to view online for the remainder of the month.
Soheila Esfahani: Cultured Pallets | Aga Khan Museum
May 2 to October 15, 2023 Professor Sohelia Esfahani's latest large scale site-specific installation Cultured Pallets: Aga Khan Museum at the Aga Khan Museum's Collections Gallery curated by Bita Pourvash is on view from May 2 to October 15, 2023. This installation is inspired by the geometric design of a 15th-century wooden door from the Aga Khan Museum's collections.
Rah Eleh Longlisted for Sobey Art Foundation Award
National Gallery of Canada ,April 25, 2023 Congratulations to MFA alum Rah Eleh who was longlisted for the 2023 Sobey Art Award! This is the richest award for contemporary visual arts in the country for artists of all ages, and one of the most generous in the world. The annual prize is funded by the Sobey Art Foundation. Congratulations to all longlisted artists whose works present a wide range of media, perspectives and lived experiences that reveal new ways of seeing ourselves, each other, and our diverse histories. The Gallery’s long-lasting partnership with the Sobey Art Foundation is strengthening the futures and community of the visual arts in and across Canada, and brings well-deserved national and international recognition to many of this country’s most thoughtful and innovative artistic voices."
Campus greenhouse reopens, offers ‘idyllic’ setting for visual arts exhibition
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Keri Ferguson ,Western News ,April 13, 2023 Three years after closing its doors during the COVID-19 pandemic, Western’s greenhouses and botanical gardens have reopened, providing the ‘perfect’ gallery for an art history student exhibit. The installation, on display in the Tropical House – the largest glasshouse in the greenhouse complex – stems from a budding collaboration between the departments of visual arts and biology. When Ira Kazi, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, reached out to Carrie Hamilton, Biology facilities manager, to organize a tour for Kazi’s Nature in Early Modern Art course, Hamilton saw an opportunity to collaborate even further...
Forest City Gallery Welcomes New Executive Director
March 22, 2023 Congratulations to PhD candidate, Ruth Skinner as she was recently named the new Executive Director of the Forest City Gallery (FCG).
BL:UE | Artlab Gallery
March 31 – April 13, 2023 BL:UE is the 2023 Practicum show that presents the development of seventeen artists’ work over the course of four years, culminating in the 2022/23 terms. The work presented in this show is the product of creativity and critique, both in each individual’s practice within the practicum course, and experience in Western’s BFA program overall. Practicum students: Megan Goddard, Hilary Rutherford, Sebastian Evans, Darcy McVicar, Julia Fawcett, Timothy Wiebe, Karlee Pattenden, Olivia Pattison, Bridget Koza, Noelle Mahoney, Hailey Watson, Giulia Commisso, Isabella Springett, Myles Lynch, Abbygale Shelley, Yasaman Falahati, Yenny Yang.
Into the Garden: Jamelie Hassan and Ron Benner in Oaxaca, Mexico | Weldon Library
April 7 – 26, 2023 PhD candidate Iraboty Kazi and Dr. Cody Barteet are proud to present Into the Garden: Jamelie Hassan and Ron Benner in Oaxaca, Mexico on view in D.B. Weldon Library, main floor glass cases. We explore ideas of place through botanical representations from the 2012 watercolour series, The World is a Garden. The series was created by London, Ontario-based artists, Jamelie Hassan and Ron Benner during their residency in the Jardin Etnobotánico de Oaxaca (Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca), a space with a fascinating history and local connections.
Prof. Sarah Bassnett and Blessy Augustine present at the Association for Art History Conference
April 12, 2023 Professor Sarah Bassnett and PhD candidate Blessy Augustine are chairing a session on Photography and 21st-century migration at the Association for Art History conference hosted by University College London, UK on April 12, 2023.
Allegory | Cohen Commons Gallery
March 31 – April 13, 2023 "Allegory" is an exhibition curated by ArtLab Gallery intern Megan Godard which features nine undergraduate students, including Bridget Koza, Chloe Serenko, Brittany Forrest, Isabella Springett, Grace Maier, Jack Cocker, Isabella Bruni, Marissa Slack, Timothy Wiebe. "Allegory" aims to give these nine artists a space to investigate whether allegory and visual aesthetics of the Baroque can work together and what that may look like in today's world.
ZINELAND: IT’S A ZINE WORLD, AFTER ALL! | Satellite Project Space
March 29-April 15, 2023 Welcome to “Zineland: It’s a Zine World, After All!”, the fourth year Capstone Project by students from Western University’s School for Advanced Studies in the Arts and Humanities (SASAH). As a group of thirteen artists, our class has created an exhibition which aims to represent the culmination of our learning and development over the past four years.
Locus Amoenus: The Garden of Verdant Delights | Western University Tropical Gardens
April 12 – 26, 2023 The students of AH 3696: Nature in Early Modern Art are proud to present Locus Amoenus: The Garden of Verdant Delights. Inspired by Western University’s botanical gardens as a site of pedagogy and pleasure, our exhibition explores early modern green spaces and their representations in connection to contemporary places and practices. This exhibition takes place in Western’s Tropical Greenhouse
Mutable Matters: A Conversation with Laura Hudspith
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By Katie Lawson ,Peripheral Review ,March 15, 2023 Congratulations to PhD candidate Katie Lawson whose interview with artist Laura Hudspith was published by Peripheral Review.
"Fractured Fifties: The Cinematic Periodization and Evolution of a Decade" by Dr. Christine Sprengler
March 22, 2023 Dr. Christine Sprengler has published a new book with Oxford University Press titled "Fractured Fifties: The Cinematic Periodization and Evolution of a Decade". This text presents a two-pronged argument— that cinema helped define the 1950s by contributing in considerable and meaningful ways to the process of periodization and subsequently a common conception of the decade, and that cinema itself has fractured our understanding of the 1950s.
Open Studios and Graduate Symposium
April 15, 2023 at 1pm ET Join us for our first OPEN STUDIOS and Graduate Symposium in three years! This free event is a wonderful opportunity to come and check out the amazing works of our MFAs and PhDs, see their creative process firsthand, engage in critical discussions around pertinent themes, and wrap off the academic year with a bang!
the 720 series | Satellite Gallery
Thursday, March 23 from 5-7pm The students of the Advanced Visual Arts Foundation Studio in the Department of Visual Arts are pleased to present "the 720 series", an exhibition of collaboratively made large scale sculptures that explore spontaneous play. Please join us for the opening reception at Satellite on Thursday March 23 from 5-7pm.
Santee Smith: Talking Earth - Inviting the Land to Shape Us
April 19, 2023 at 3:00pm Santee Smith presents Talking Earth - Inviting the Land to Shape Us on April 19, 2023, in Western's Wampum Learning Lodge Dome. This presentation is proudly supported by Western University's Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Visual Arts, Office of Indigenous Initiatives and Indigenous Artist-in-Residence, Kelly Greene. In Talking Earth - Inviting the Land to Shape Us, artist Santee Smith speaks about her artistic work/life and creative proces
Virtual Encounters: Anyse Ducharme and Jacob Wren | LOMAA
Sunday, April 2, 2023 at 3pm LOMAA is excited to premiere new works by Anyse Ducharme and Jacob Wren for the Virtual Encounters series. On Sunday April 2, at 3pm EST, Jacob Wren will be presenting a live performance over Zoom, and to follow both artists will come together in virtual conversation. We would love to have you in attendance but don't fret if that's not possible, the works will be available for viewing the remainder of the month.
PhD Candidate Ashar Mobeen Presents at EnviroCon 2023
March 24, 2023 Art & Visual Culture PhD Candidate Ashar Mobeen will present his paper titled “You are what you eat, from your head to your feet” at EnviroCon 2023: Intercultural Dialogue on Environment & Sustainability on Friday, March 24, 2023.
‘Taught by experts, not YouTube’: Embroidery course taps into generational knowledge
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Megan Stacey ,Western News ,March 17, 2023 "There is a university course underway inside Room 234 at Western’s John Labatt Visual Arts Centre, but there are no laptops in sight. Pencils are traded for brightly coloured spools of embroidery floss. A professor has yielded the floor to half a dozen members of the London Embroidery Guild, who co-teach the class..."
In Memoriam - Alan Cohen
March 2nd, 2023 Western University is saddened by the passing of Alan M. Cohen on March 2, 2023. Alan, together with his wife Phyllis, were long-time supporters of the London creative arts community and the Department of Visual Arts at Western University. Their support, vision, and commitment to the Department were recently brought to life through projects such as The Cohen Exploration Lab, a maker-space that allows students to explore and take creative risks, and the Cohen Commons where community can gather to celebrate creativity. The Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Department of Visual Arts are grateful for the commitment, and enthusiastic support of the Cohens through the years and our thoughts are with their family.
ArtNow! Speakers' Series: A Conversation with Angie Quick and Joel Faflak
Thursday, March 16 at 7PM ArtNow! Speakers’ Series and Museum London are pleased to present an evening conversation between artist Angie Quick and Professor Joel Faflak. They will discuss Quick’s creative practice in relation to her exhibition, "make me less evil" on Thursday, March 16 at 7pm at Museum London. Image: Installation view of "Angie Quick: make me less evil" with the artist
Museum London Announces Melanie Townsend Scholarship
Applications Due April 3, 2023 For the first time in 2023, Museum London will award the Melanie A. Townsend Scholarship for Museum and Curatorial Studies. This opportunity is designed to assist students at Western University who demonstrate exceptional dedication to curation, museum studies and museology. As Head of Exhibitions and Collections at Museum London for 14 years, Melanie made valuable contributions to our organization, to the visual arts community in London, Ontario, and across Canada. The team at Museum London and artists and colleagues across Canada remember Melanie for her insightful and original curatorial work and her sense of humour. Industrious and down-to-earth, Melanie believed in the importance of cultural institutions to critically engage audiences through contemporary art and through investigation of cultural artifacts to foster deeper understanding of history. This award honours Melanie’s contribution and is one of the ways her legacy lives on!
Derek Liddington: Marbled Bodies, Softened Earth | Daniel Faria Gallery
March 16 - April 22, 2023 Congratulations to PhD candidate, Derek Liddington whose solo exhibition "Marbled Bodies, Softened Earth" opens at Daniel Faria Gallery in Toronto on March 16th, 2023 and runs through April 22, 2023.
Local artists welcome you to their weekend celebration
Good Sport ,April 1 - 2, 2023 On April 1st and 2nd, twelve artists from the local artist group Good Sport will open their studios to the public in their annual Studio Tour. The artists participating in this year’s tour include Shannon Taylor-Jones, Andres Garzon, Reilly Knowles, Zane Pate, Joanna Skiba, Michelle Flemming, Jacqueline Demendeev, Monica Joy and Malvika Agarwal, as well as newest members Ian Indiano, Alyssa Waterbury and Sammy Orlowski.
Jessica Karuhanga: Blue as the insides | KWAG
April 8, 2023 - August 6, 2023 The Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery is pleased to present the first solo exhibition of Ugandan-Canadian artist Jessica Karuhanga. Blue as the insides is a survey of Karuhanga’s performance, video and sound installations over the last decade.
"A Group Show in London Traces Artists’ Spiritual Connection With Nature" | Frieze Magazine
March 1, 2023 Aliya Say of Frieze Magazine reviewed Prof. Sky Glasbush's work 'Night Dance,' which is on view in the group exhibition, 'The Moth and the Thunderclap,' until March 18 at Modern Art London. The full review is available online.
Ashar Mobeen Presents at AHVA Graduate Symposium
March 3, 2023 at 2:30pm PST Art & Visual Culture PhD Candidate Ashar Mobeen will present his paper titled “Wonders of the Ancestral Puebloans: Astronomers, Engineers, and Magicians of the Four Corners” at the 46th Annual AHVA Graduate Symposium on Friday, March 3rd at 2.30pm PST.
AJE 21 | Artlab Gallery
March 2 – 16, 2023 Celebrating twenty-one years the "Annual Juried Exhibition" continues to be one of the Department of Visual Arts most highly anticipated undergraduate exhibitions. This diverse show supports the production of new work made in a variety of mediums including painting, sculpture, print, video, and photography. Exhibited works were selected by a professional jury who consider creativity, concept, materiality and technique. This year’s show is indicative of the resilience and dedication our students continue to demonstrate.
Creativity Workshop with Beau Dixon
March 15, 2023 at 2:30pm EST Join FIMS for a rare informal workshop with award-winning actor, musician, playwright, music director, and sound designer Beau Dixon on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Beau Dixon will be performing live, speaking about his work and process as an artist, and sharing stories about his experiences working on his musical cabaret Freedom: The Spirit and Legacy of Black Music as well as other projects.
Sky Glabush Joins Stephen Friedman Gallery
February 24, 2023 Stephen Friedman Gallery in London UK is delighted to announce representation of Sky Glabush. His first UK solo exhibition will open at Stephen Friedman Gallery in April 2023. Sky Glabush is also represented by Philip Martin Gallery in Los Angeles.
“The Implications of the ƛCDM Model of Cosmology on the Post-Colonial Terrain of Queen’s Park, Toronto” by Ashar Mobeen
March 11, 2023 at 2:15pm EST Art & Visual Culture PhD candidate, Ashar Mobeen will present his paper titled, “The Implications of the ƛCDM Model of Cosmology on the Post-Colonial Terrain of Queen’s Park, Toronto” at the 2023 Graduate Conference of Comparative Literature, Hispanic Studies and the Centre for the Study of Theory and Criticism on Saturday, March 11th at 2:15pm EST.
Imogen Clendenning: Archive on Ice | Ice Follies
February 10 - 24th, 2023 PhD candidate, Imogen Clendenning's solar powered art installation "Archive on Ice" was included in "Ice Follies" a biennial festival of contemporary and community-engaged art presented on frozen Lake Nipissing in North Bay, Ontario from February 10 - 24th, 2023. Imogen was interviewed by CTV News about their work and involvement in the festival.
Indigenous learning circle: N’Satung film screening
Monday February 27, 2023 at 12pm - 2pm Join Biindigen: Indigenous Learning Circle at the Wampum Learning Lodge for a screening of N’Satung, a documentary on Indigenous experiences with education in the Great Lakes area, followed by a discussion with director Keesis Nadjiwon (Chippewa of Nawash), director of photography Greg DeSouza and producer Laurence de Looze.
'Portraits of Home' | Grimsby Public Art Gallery
February 21, 2023 - April 22, 2023 Prof. Soheila Esfahani is featured in the group exhibition 'Portraits of Home' at Grimsby Public Art Gallery from February 21 through April 22. Her installation features 115 porcelain birds, a combination of collected souvenir-like objects alongside handmade birds painted with culturally specific designs. Together, the birds evoke a representation of the movement of culture from place to place by immigrants and tourists, challenging viewers to consider the dissemination of culture and their inherent complexities.
Suggested Reading | Christie Contemporary
February 18 - March 18, 2023 Professor emeritus David Merritt's work is featured in the current group exhibition "Suggested Reading" on display at Christie Contemporary until March 11, 2023
Virtual Encounters with new works by Kite and David Yu | LOMAA
March 5, 2023 at 3pm EST on Zoom LOMAA is excited to launch the series Virtual Encounters with new works by Kite and David Yu. Their works will be available to view online for the entirety of March, and both artists will come together in virtual conversation on Sunday, March 5 at 3 p.m. EST. This talk will additionally be available for viewing the remainder of the month. Registration required.
“The Passion of the Hedge-Rider” — Emily Pelstring
By
Ana Moyer ,CMag ,February 14, 2023 Congratulations to MA grad and current PhD candidate Ana Moyer whose review of Emily Pelstring's “The Passion of the Hedge-Rider” (2022) was published in Cmag.
Confluences a Community Gathering & Symposium
March 10 - 11, 2023 Mark your calendars! You are invited to join GardenShip and State at Museum London’s Centre at the Forks to discuss how art communicates the interconnections between culture, politics, and ecology. The event is open to all, including a reception to cap off the events on Friday and a welcome tea with treats at midday on Saturday.
Students brainstorm on practices, research during Ivey Sustainability Week
By
Ivey Communications ,Special to Western News ,February 13, 2023 "The inaugural Ivey Sustainability Week, from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, led by students of Ivey Business School, saw the highlighting of ties between sustainable practices and business success... One inspirational message from the event was the importance of asking difficult questions about our future. Kelly Greene, a multimedia artist and Western’s first Indigenous artist-in-residence, shared how she uses visual art to make statements about humans’ reliance on the Earth and the environmental harm they’ve contributed, in hope of creating change."
Preserving Art History for the Ages
CTV News London ,February 8, 2023 Professor Cody Barteet speaks with CTV London's Marek Sutherland about his new online gallery of local stained-glass artwork.
This is Your Crisis. Fix It. | Ivey Business School
January 30 - February 5, 2023 “This is Your Crisis. Fix It.” is curated by visual arts student and president of USC Public Arts Commission, Bilquees “Billie” Hafeez. As part of sustainability week, the exhibition explores the personal action we must take to prevent the climate crisis, as well as our impact on the environment and connections to the natural world. The exhibition features works by Prof. Kirsty Robertson, Heather Davis, Kelly Greene (IAiR), Christina Battle (PhD '20), Paul Chartrand (MFA '17), and current MFA candidate Alyssa Sweeny .
Practicum Art Sale
Friday, February 3 from 10am to 5pm The Practicum class is having an art sale! Own a unique work from this year’s Practicum class and support your local and emerging artists! Tables will be set up in the main hallway of the Visual Arts Centre on Friday, February 3rd from 10am to 5pm
Quentin VerCetty "Sankofanology: An Artistic Study of Celebrating Black Legacies In The Future Through The Past"
Tuesday, February 7th at 4:30 PM Join us February 7 at 4:30pm in the Visual Arts Centre for Quentin VerCetty Sankofanology: An Artistic Study of Celebrating Black Legacies In The Future Through The Past. The multiple award-winning Afrofuturist a-r-tographer and visual storyteller Quentin VerCetty will be discussing how he uses his artwork as a teaching tool and time capsule to preserve and celebrate Black legacies of history for the future. All welcome! This event is both in-person and live-streamed via Zoom. Registration required.
Epistolarity and Decolonial Aesthetics in Carola Grahn's Look Who's Talking by Dr. Christine Sprengler
January 20, 2023 Dr. Christine Sprengler recently published an essay, "Epistolarity and Decolonial Aesthetics in Carola Grahn's Look Who's Talking" in the new book "Epistolary Entanglements in Film, Media and the Visual Arts" edited by Teri Higgins, Catherine Fowler.
Art Now! Speakers: Gala Porras-Kim
Thursday, February 2 at 7PM on Zoom ArtNow! Speakers’ Series in partnership with Museum and Curatorial Studies is pleased to present , Gala Porras-Kim on Thursday February 2, 2023 at 7pm ET on Zoom. Gala Porras-Kim lives and works in Los Angeles. Her work is about the social and political contexts that influence how intangible things, such as sounds, language and history, have been framed through the fields of linguistics, history and conservation. The work considers the way institutions shape inherited codes and forms and conversely, how objects can shape the contexts in which they are placed.
Logo Life | Cohen Commons
February 2 - 16, 2023 Signs, signs, everywhere, signs – and brands. The visual field of contemporary life is covered over with the marks of capitalism. Yet each of us may at some point adopt such tags and symbols as “our own.” In this project, the Third Year Print Media class has put away the press in favour of a garden roller for printing and employed found cardboard to fashion their plates. The forms they have printed are of their own creative making: personal signs. These marks will soon appear on printed t-shirts the class is producing with the help of Rezonance Printing, in late February of this year. In the meantime, we invite you to enjoy “Logo Life.” We’re not trying to sell you anything. Reception: Thursday, February 2 from 5-7PM
Connections | ArtLab Gallery
February 2 - 16, 2023 Connections is a series of collaborative installations in response to our connection to Mother Earth, our homes, spaces within ourselves, liminal spaces using only recycled and found materials. This project has been created using mainly materials from Artist Material Fund under the guidance of Kelly Greene (Indigenous Artist in Residence at the Visual Arts department). A vital concept of this project is to reflect on the fact that we are all part of this Earth and are extremely dependent on her since everything that surrounds us is provided by her. With the current overpopulation by humans on our planet, we've consumed and produced excesses. Thus, these installations aim to convey attentive perspectives by reusing some over-produced materials that would otherwise fill landfills.
Ornamental Gestures | Doris McCarthy Gallery
January 21- April 1, 2023 Prof. Soheila Esfahani will exhibit one of her installations in her Cultured Pallets series in the upcoming group exhibition: Ornamental Gestures curated by Sandy Saad-Smith at Doris McCarthy Gallery, University of Toronto Scarborough, January 21- April 1, 2023. Image: Soheila Esfahani, My Place is Placeless, detail, laser-etched wooden pallets, 2013
tba: Call for Board Members
As we enter tba’s fifth year, the editorial team is looking to formalize the journal by building an editorial board comprising faculty and graduate students both internal and external to UWO. Board members would meet online twice per semester. They are expected to support in the development of good governance, review applications for indexing, support dissemination of the annual CFP, and may be asked to take on a peer-review role as necessary. If you have an interest in joining the board, or know someone at another institution who might, please contact the editor, Emily Cadotte, at tbaedit@uwo.ca
PROPHECY | tba journal of art, media, and visual culture
January 10, 2023 tba journal of art, media, and visual culture has published its fourth volume: PROPHECY. The editorial team is pleased to announce that this year’s volume contains thirteen interdisciplinary submissions representing works of visual art, creative writing, and art historical scholarship. Referencing the ancient, the surreal, the speculative, and yet-to-come, each submission grapples with pasts that offer us insight into possible futures. The online journal can be accessed in full at tbajournal.ca
IN OUR SPACE, IN OUR TIME | Artlab Gallery
January 12 - 26, 2023 | Reception: Thursday, January 12 from 5-7PM In Our Space, In Our Time showcases the media-art explorations of Shane Ackerley, Taylor Horner, Siena Idoine, Bella Kerfers, Megan Lee, Jalyn Liang, and Sawyer Shin. Utilizing sound, video, and installation the artists invite viewers to explore and question how we, as individuals and collectively, relate to one another; to art and the spaces where we view it; to the pressures of student life; to place and technology; and to our modes of self-soothing, joy, and escape.
Reflecting on Religious Imagery Through Documentation and Quotidian Objects | Cohen Commons
January 12 - 26, 2023 Reflecting on Religious Imagery Through Documentation and Quotidian Objects: Cody Barteet, Katie Oates, and Tanner Layton is on view in the Cohen Commons from January 12 - 26, 2023 with an opening reception on Thursday, January 12 from 5-7PM. "This exhibition reframes our experience of religious sites in Southwestern Ontario. We capture not the sacred, but rather the ordinary. Through these visions of decay, graffiti, and quotidian objects and images, we reimagine and reconsider how religious imagery is encountered. Our documentation explores the doorway between inclusion and exclusion, enchantment and disenchantment, and that which is concealed behind locked doors."
gaaaaaaaaaaaaah (We May or May Not Need Therapy)
January 12, 2023 5pm - 7pm gaaaaaaaaaaaaah (We May or May Not Need Therapy) is an exhibition that explores themes of loss, growth, and self-determination. Through their artworks the Advanced Foundations class resiliently transcend the obstacles and challenges young adults face. The exhibition will be open to view on Thursday, January 12 from 5pm to 7pm.
Philosophical Archaeology With and Beyond Agamben on Philosophy, History, and Art by Ido Govrin
SUNY Press NY ,January 11, 2023 PhD graduate Ido Govrin has published a new book "Philosophical Archaeology With and Beyond Agamben on Philosophy, History, and Art" with SUNY Press NY. This work is an an extended version of his doctorate research which explores the potential for a novel philosophy of history to be uncovered by tracing the connections between Giorgio Agamben's work (theoretical practice) and contemporary art (artistic practice).
Christina Battle in Conversation with Tia-Simone Gardner
January 28, 2023 on Zoom at 1PM ET PhD alum Christina Battle joins artist Tia-Simone Gardner for a conversation that explores their intersecting research interests, including digital mapping and the complicated relationship between the environment, climate and Black life. The artists will share their work as an expanded element of the ongoing exhibition series at Gallery 44 which explores relationships to land through the lens of female artists working from different racialized perspectives. The conversation will occur live on zoom on January 28, and the audio will be shared as a podcast on G44 Digital in February 2023.
Stories We Tell Ourselves | McIntosh Gallery
January 19 – March 18, 2023 Join us at the McIntosh Gallery for the opening reception of Stories We Tell Ourselves, a group exhibition conceptualized by guest curator Matthew Kyba. This exhibition questions how the museum’s history as a colonial tool for Western pedagogy influences the stories we tell. Image: Emii Alrai, Passing of the Lilies (detail), Jerwood Solo Presentations, Jerwood Arts, London. 2021. Photography courtesy of Anna Arca.
Field Trip to the Detroit Institute of the Arts and MOCAD
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 Join the Print Media class on a field trip to the Detroit Institute of the Arts and The Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 from 8am to 6pm. Cost for bus transportation and admission is $60. Valid passport required. E-mail Meghan Edmiston to register at meghan.edmiston@uwo.ca
Cloud Painter at Trinity Square Video
January 13 - February 18, 2023 Visual Arts PhD candidate Andreas Buchwaldt in collaboration with artist Joshua Vettivelu invite you to their show Cloud Painter at Trinity Square Video in Toronto. The opening reception is 6-8pm on Friday, January 13 and the exhibition runs until February 18th. Image: "Cloud Painter, Andreas Buchwaldt and Joshua Vettivelu, 2023."
PhD Candidate Shelley Kopp to Present at CSTC Winter Theory Sessions
March 31st, 2023 from 3:30pm - 5:00pm PhD candidate, Shelley Kopp will be presenting "Traditional art, online: collection or documentation or communication?" for the Centre for the Study of Theory and Criticism, Winter Theory Sessions on March 31, 2022 at 3:30pm in Stevenson Hall, room 1365. The session will also be live-streamed via Zoom.
ART NOW! Speakers’ Series: Maggie Groat
Thursday, January 26 at 7PM ArtNow! Speakers’ Series is pleased to present Maggie Groat on Thursday January 26 at 7pm in the WIRB building room 1170. Maggie Groat is an artist, mother, birthworker, and cultivator whose current research surrounds states of becoming, decolonial ways-of-being, how plants and gardens are portals, slowness, the utility of images, and the transformative potentials of salvaged materials during times of living through climate emergency. Her methodologies are informed by states of being in between, intuition, acts of care, site-specific responsiveness, strategies of collage, and hopeful speculation. The ART NOW! Speakers’ Series is free and open to the public. Masks are required.
Matthew Trueman: voices in a cool wet darkness | Latcham Art Centre
January 20 to March 4, 2023 Congratulations to MFA alum Matthew Trueman who will be featured in a solo exhibition at Latcham Art Centre from January 20 to March 4, 2023. In this exhibition, entitled "voices in a cool wet darkness", Matthew uses kinetic sculpture, video, sound and reclaimed natural materials to open up conversations about the environment from a more-than-human perspective. Given the recent governmental announcements about land development and the heightened concerns for Ontario’s Green Belt, this exhibition touches on environmental topics of local and national importance. Image credit: Matthew Trueman, still image from A Walk in the Woods in the Dark, 2022.
Christina Battle: the air we breathe | Gallery 44
Opening reception January 6th at 6pm. Congratulations to PhD alum, Christina Battle whose solo exhibition "the air we breathe" is on view at Gallery 44 from January 6 – February 4, 2023. "the air we breathe" is an expanded single-channel experimental documentary. The work explores the complexities of air pollution, weaving together themes of environmental catastrophe, cultural and political strife, conspiracy and the various links between.
The Moth and The Thunderclap | Modern Art, London, England
February 4 – March 18, 2023 Professor Sky Glabush's work will be featured in an upcoming group exhibition featuring over 40 artists at Modern Art in London, England. Curated by Simon Grant, The Moth and The Thunderclap features an eclectic global mix of artists from modernism to the present day. Taking its title from a painting by the celebrated American artist Charles Burchfield, The Moth and The Thunderclap aims to show how artists have been compelled to reflect an indeterminate psychological space where nature and culture collide, often filtered through their experience of landscape. Image: Charles Burchfield, Winter Sunburst (detail), 1960
Bridget Koza: Cadences | Satellite Project Space
January 4-14, 2023 Congratulations to Bridget Koza whose exhibition Cadences opened January 4th, 2023 at Satellite Project Space. "The exhibition is a journey over four years, fostering a deeper connection between dance, music, and art. Each artwork challenges the viewer to expand their interactions with art and the new worlds created when combining multiple elements." Join Bridget Koza in the gallery for the exhibition reception on Wednesday, January 11 at 6pm.
Panel Discussion with Prof. John Hatch at RMG
February 4th, 2023 at 2:00PM Professor John Hatch and fellow panelists Louise Noguchi (artist), Bryce Kanbara (artist and recent Governor General Award recipient) will lead for a conversation about the lasting impact and legacy of artist Kazuo Nakamura at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery on February 4, 2023 at 2:00 pm. This event compliments the current exhibition at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Kazuo Nakamura: Universal Pattern, on view until March 5th.