blue is the colour of longing for the distance you never arrive in
Y+ contemporary, September 8 - October 28, 2017
Role: Curator
In the book, A Field Guide to Getting Lost, Rebecca Solnit offers meditations on the seemingly unending process of (dis)orienting ourselves, whether it be to a moment; to the world; to our selves. She writes of a generative potential — to be lost is to be fully present, and to be fully present is to be capable of being in uncertainty, with the opportunity for a transformative experience. This state may be a conscious choice; a chosen surrender; or a psychic state achievable through geography. Could it be that there is something inherent in a geographic mark or specific locality which facilitates a particular kind of experience? What does it mean to reflect upon a period of uncertainty once you have returned home, so to speak?
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In thinking through the process of locating oneself through the lens of corporeal feminism and embodied subjectivity, RÝMD in Reykjavík and Y+ contemporary in Scarborough will co-present newly commissioned work by Canadian artist Maddie Alexander. During a recent visit to Iceland, Alexander spent their time embedded in an unfamiliar landscape, walking, writing and attempting to come to terms with prevailing feelings of isolation and disorientation. The resulting video work will be screened at the offsite video space of RÝMD in conjunction with an extended body of work produced at Y+ as a part of the gallery’s new residency/exhibition model. It is accompanied by a publication collaboratively produced by the artist and curator.
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blue is the colour of longing for the distance you never arrive in is co-presented with RÝMD in Reykjavík, Iceland. Programming support has been provided by the Toronto Arts Council.
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FREE Contemporary Art Bus Tour
Sunday, October 15, 2017
The tour picks up at Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen Street West) then departs for Blackwood Gallery, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Art Gallery of York University and Y+ contemporary. To RSVP: email blackwood.gallery@utoronto.ca or call 905-828-3789 by Friday, October 13 at 5pm.
Zine-Making Workshop
Saturday, October 28, 2-5PM
Join us on the final day of the exhibition for an artist talk, walking tour and participatory zine-making workshop responding to ideas of memory and place-making. Alexander will discuss the exhibition in relation to their overall practice. Participants will be asked to bring 5-10 pieces (photographs, texts, or items) which can be placed on a flatbed scanner. No previous experience is necessary; this program welcomes individuals of all ages, skill levels and interests. This program is free of charge and the gallery itself is accessible with accommodations, while the washroom is unfortunately not.
Spaces are limited. To register, visit zine-making-workshop.eventbrite.ca.
