Curation Exercises
2022 / The Triumph of Lavinia Fontana / Research Type # 3
This curation exercise explores the Renaissance female artist Lavinia Fontana. The exhibition shows us the nuance of gender in her works has impacted future generations. Fontana depicts herself as Triumphant in the arts, but many female artists after her continue her path and create new wins for gender equality. Her works show us images of strength, womanhood, family connection, and knowledge. While this exhibition asks you to notice her successes, Fontana's work shows us how deeply engrained gender expectations were for herself and the women around her.
Exhibition Reviews
2023 / The 2023 Sobey Art Awards Exhibition Review / Research Type #4
The Sobey Awards Foundation partnered with the National Art Gallery of Canada to welcome the public to hear the voices of outstanding contemporary artists. Selected by a jury of professionals, works done by Gabrielle L’Hirondelle Hill, Kablusiak, Michèle Pearson Clarke, Anahita Norouzi, and Séamus Gallagher hang in the 2023 edition of the Sobey Awards show to display their unique views of the world. This review looks at the general message each artist conveys through their work and how they relate to each other within the context of the National Gallery exhibition. Each one of these artists plays with the materiality of art and how it relates to their greater social context, asking each visitor to reflect on their understanding of knowledge, presence, loss, (dis)connection and longing. The subtitle applications of these works will help inform our understanding of the exhibition and the Sobey Awards as a whole. While the works are masterful examples of the nuance contemporary art has to offer, this review asks you to look even further into the exhibition – looking at the work of the curators. Discussing where and how the works are displayed allows us to understand better the impact a show like this has on our greater understanding of contemporary works.
The Sobey Awards Foundation partnered with the National Art Gallery of Canada to welcome the public to hear the voices of outstanding contemporary artists. Selected by a jury of professionals, works done by Gabrielle L’Hirondelle Hill, Kablusiak, Michèle Pearson Clarke, Anahita Norouzi, and Séamus Gallagher hang in the 2023 edition of the Sobey Awards show to display their unique views of the world. This review looks at the general message each artist conveys through their work and how they relate to each other within the context of the National Gallery exhibition. Each one of these artists plays with the materiality of art and how it relates to their greater social context, asking each visitor to reflect on their understanding of knowledge, presence, loss, (dis)connection and longing. The subtitle applications of these works will help inform our understanding of the exhibition and the Sobey Awards as a whole. While the works are masterful examples of the nuance contemporary art has to offer, this review asks you to look even further into the exhibition – looking at the work of the curators. Discussing where and how the works are displayed allows us to understand better the impact a show like this has on our greater understanding of contemporary works.
2021 / The Celebrity meets Modernism / Research Type #2
The Radical Eye was an exhibition by the Modern Tate in 2017. The exhibit invited the audience to explore the modernist collection of Sir Elton John. While this exhibition displays the collection of Elton John, the relationship between the cult of the celebrity and the canon of modernism makes The Radical Eye an excellent case study to explore how cultural canons are formed. This review asks you to look critically at the power of curation in the art world.
2021 / AGO's Depiction of Indigeneity / Research Type #3
This analysis delves into the "Indigenous Collection" on the Art Gallery of Ontario's website, emphasizing an opportunity for positive transformation. The examination questions the gallery's isolation of indigenous works, advocating for a more inclusive approach that embraces diversity. By broadening the narrative beyond a focus on nature, the collection has the potential to offer a richer portrayal of indigeneity. The call is for stakeholders to reevaluate and enhance the exhibit, promoting a more cohesive and diverse representation that aligns with the complexities of indigenous experiences.
Art and Architectural History
2021 / The "Natural" World and the Picturesque / Research Type #2
Our understanding of the Picturesque has been mediated by images of sprawling landscapes and romantic scenes born from nature. Vast views of untouched land have been captured in the works of Picturesque-inspired artists, photographers and writers. Landscape architects began to design rolling hills full of trollies in the likeness of these images. This paper explores the relationship between words, images, and space in the Picturesque moment and the concept of what is natural.
2020 / The Role of Public Space / Research Type #3
This essay explores the intricate dynamics of public space in urban settings, emphasizing its profound influence on social relations. Investigating power dynamics in public space design, the discussion centers on access prohibitions, privatization, and gentrification, all impacting democratic engagement. The essay analyzes the legal distinction between public and private realms, portraying public spaces as arenas for political action and social movements. It delves into historical perspectives, revealing architecture's role in reinforcing power hierarchies. The essay highlights exclusionary public space policies, particularly affecting marginalized communities, and addresses gentrification's impact on diversity and democratic participation. By unveiling these complexities, the essay aims to raise awareness among policymakers, planners, architects, and society for a more conscious and equitable approach to public space.
2020 / Niki de Saint Phalle's Venus de Milo / Research type #3
Niki de Saint Phalle's relationship with gender and femininity mixes with the reactionary era of 1970s French art in her work Venus de Milo. Pulling from historical depictions of gender, her works provoke you to question your understanding of womanhood. This paper examines the nuance of Saint Phalle's Venus de Milo in the context of her greater works.
2020 / The Ammunciation and the Man of Sorrows / Research type #1
Goncal Peris Sarria's diptych, "The Annunciation and the Man of Sorrows," housed in the European collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, intricately employs composition, iconic imagery, and color to depict two pivotal biblical narratives: the Annunciation and the death of Christ. Through hierarchical composition, gold leaf accents, and Italo-Byzantine stylization, the artist underscores the significance of these scenes, inviting viewers to visually grasp the divine connection between the birth and death of Christ. The deliberate juxtaposition in a diptych format serves as a potent visual statement, reinforcing the broader narrative of Christ's life.
2020 / Environmental Sciences Building at Trent University / Research type #2
This paper explores the intentional integration of nature and social dynamics in Trent University's Environmental Sciences Building. Features like the "groundhog ramp" and rooftop garden exemplify the architect Henriquez's commitment to blending the built environment with nature. Symbolic elements in the rotunda, such as the off-center skylight aligned with the earth's axis, underscore the building's identity as a science complex with a focus on social connections. This study emphasizes the building as an extension of Ron Thom's organic vision, fostering chance encounters and community spaces. Henriquez's broader ideologies highlight intentional design choices that infuse social interaction into the building's essence, positioning it as a vital element in Trent University's landscape, seamlessly combining environmental consciousness and social encoding.
2018 / How Adolf Loos sees the Role of Ornament / Research type #2
This paper explores Adolf Loos's vehement rejection of architectural ornamentation, as outlined in "Ornament and Crime." Loos argues for the complete elimination of ornament, deeming it obsolete in modern society. He traces his architectural evolution from the Chicago School to the manifesto's publication, criticizing ornament as overused and dishonest. Loos correlates ornament with societal issues, claiming it wastes resources and diminishes societal health. In contrast to antiquity's view, Loos envisions a society rejecting classical ornamentation, presenting a new design paradigm. This manifesto succinctly articulates Loos's vision, declaring the role of ornament as nonexistent, representing a moral crime in architecture.
2018 / Christ and the Adulteress / Research type #1
Lucas Cranach's 1533 painting, "Christ and the Adulteress," employs visual techniques to convey the biblical narrative. Through strategic placement and iconic choices, the painting emphasizes Christ's centrality and the moral dynamics among the characters. Executed during the Protestant Reformation, it aligns with Lutheran values, offering a nuanced representation of the biblical scene within the context of social change.