As part of ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art 2021–2022
March 2–May 29, 2022
Toronto Ontario M5J 1E3
Canada
Curated by Maya Wilson-Sanchez.
Artwork by Iván Argote, Nour Bishouty, Glenna Cardinal, MADEYOULOOK, Miles Rufelds, Tania Willard, Venuca Evanán Vivanco, Amber Webb, and Shellie Zhang
Exploring monuments and archives, this exhibition questions what we remember, how we remember, and who makes those choices. It includes artworks that examine the processes of history-making while creating new relationships to the past and the future. I am land that remembers is the second chapter of the I am land exhibition series and considers how artists take on the role of chroniclers. From Iván Argote’s investigations and interventions into monuments, to Nour Bishouty’s explorations of cultural value and impermanence, to Miles Rufelds’s and Tania Willard’s critical take on researching within the archive, the exhibition considers how we approach official history. It questions which kinds of stories exist in the public imaginary while others are untold. Additionally, artists Venuca Evanán Vivanco, Amber Webb, Glenna Cardinal, and artist duo MADEYOULOOK showcase oral and visual storytelling while Shellie Zhang’s work traces a transitory space of remembrance. This exhibition brings up ideas of public history and empowers collective history-making, demanding that our public spaces reflect our past, present, and future.
I am land that remembers is the second chapter of the I am land exhibition series curated by Maya Wilson-Sanchez for ArtworxTO – Toronto’s Year of Public Art.
How does land inform our stories? What kinds of histories are shown publically? When do our personal stories become part of dominant history?
I am land is a three-part exhibition series that explores the role of the artist as a chronicler. Many artists have a deep interest in representing the past, exploring the present, and imagining the future. This series and its public programs highlight and celebrate how individuals and communities have the power to create their own histories. The titles of the exhibitions are inspired by Fausto Reinaga, a Quechua philosopher who wrote “I am land that thinks” as a way to explain the interconnectivity and collective assemblages of land, humans, and non-humans. The stories and histories that make up who we are created through our links to place and our affiliations and kinship to those around us. By exploring varied themes and diverse artistic practices, these exhibitions explore the process of creating history publically and collectively.
Set in Union Station, a busy transportation hub, the exhibition series also reflects on the nature of public space and public gathering. It questions who is able to access public spaces, who is welcomed while others are policed, and what kinds of actions are allowed within such spaces. I am land explores the histories, bodies, emotions, and ways of being that are allowed to exist in public and pushes the boundaries to welcome those that have been excluded.
For information about upcoming programs and events, click here.
Contact hubsouth@artworxto.ca for questions or media inquiries.
ArtworxTO Hub South Union Station directions
The exhibition is located in the West Wing and Oak Room inside Union Station. There is also an installation in the Front St. Promenade Vitrine. Wayfinding signage is present. This exhibition series is accessible.
Hours
Union Station is open daily from 5:30am to 12:45am. ArtworxTO staff are onsite to answer questions and facilitate tours 7 days a week, from 11am–7pm.
About ArtworxTO
ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art 2021–2022 is a year-long celebration of Toronto’s exceptional public art collection and the creative community behind it. Working closely with artists and Toronto’s arts institutions, the City of Toronto is delivering major public art projects and commissions, citywide, from fall 2021 to fall 2022. Supporting local artists and new artworks that reflect Toronto’s diversity, ArtworxTO is creating more opportunities for Torontonians to engage with art in their everyday lives. This year, explore your city and discover creativity and community–everywhere. Visit artworxTO.ca for full details.
