Face à Face

Artist list

Micah Adams, Marie-Eve G. Castonguay, Alex Kinsley, Amir Sheikhvand, Jan Smith, Kye-Yeon Son, Devon Thom, Lawrence Woodford, AliceYujing Yan, Patrycja Zwierzynska

The exhibition presents a selection of contemporary jewellery in Canada, with works from 10 artists all across the country. Canada is a nation that prides itself on diversity, both of its people and its sprawling landscapes; and this exhibition strives to epitomize that vibrant diversity. The jewellery pieces included reflect the wide array of artistic practices employed by Canadian artists.
 
For many of these artists, sense of place and belonging are recurring themes. In Alex Kinsley’s work, hollow steel forms are reminiscent of his hometown of Hamilton, a city that once was forged by industrialization and still shows traces of the steel town ethos. In a language tinted with cultural nostalgia, Amir Sheikhvand conjugates eastern ornamentation with western ideas of modernity in complex and colourful structures.
 
In a humorous way, Micah Adams plays with the idea of collecting and archiving relics from the everyday life, using coins as his primary material. Alice Yujing Yan recreates common architectural structures using playful forms and colours in a nearly cartoonish manner.
 
While these artists are inspired by urban life, others find, through their work, an escape from the faster rhythm of the city. Exploring the relationships we have with places, Marie-Eve G. Castonguay’s work is inspired by gardens, these enclosed spaces which offer a protection from the outside world. Impregnated with the view of untouched landscaped and the feeling of the changing seasons. Kye-Yeon Son, Devon Thom and Patrycja Zwierzynska reinterpret nature’s basic elements in abstract compositions.
 
In a more spiritual way, Lawrence Woodford also recreates landscapes and geological maps, but as traces of a quest for a promised place or paradise. Finally, Jan Smith reflects on memory’s incoherence and the fusion of the material work with the imaginary.
 
Not only does each artist’s work display a balance of idea development, they are each committed to intriguing material exploration and to creating works of the highest caliber and craftsmanship.

Marie-Eve Castonguay: the.made.collective@gmail.com
 

Activities

4th of Nov. 2 pm: Meeting with artists and presentation.