2023 Themed Student Public Art Exhibition, facilitated by Tommy Truong
OCAD University’s Experiential Learning Placement Program at Yonge-Dundas Square
On the digital screens, May 15 to June 11, 2023
This public art exhibition explores themes of nature, climate change and uncertainty. As we are hopeful to enter a post-pandemic lifestyle, we need not forget the accumulated damage we have already caused our future selves in terms of climate change and the effects this has on mental health. These artists were asked to create a project that draws connections amongst nature, recovery, well-being, and/or anxiety.
SERIES 1: May 15 to May 28, 2023
The Sea
Junhee Cho
ARTIST STATEMENT
All living beings, including humans, are born from the sea. It is the mother of nature, which has given birth to everything and provides us with daily sustenance. The sea is our home, and it accommodates countless other lives that breathe, live, and perish. Despite its significant importance, humanity recklessly exploits the sea's resources without any regard for its well-being. The sea has always been a transparent and bountiful source, but we have contaminated it with our wastewater and pollutants, and climate change is slowly invading our homes through flooding. Is this the sea's way of taking revenge on us, or is it our own karma? The motivation behind my animated series is to raise awareness of environmental pollution and climate change. In the past, humankind believed that these changes would not affect us significantly, but now we are becoming increasingly visible to our eyes. I hope to inspire viewers to take action and become responsible stewards of our planet.
Ever-Changing
Luna Choi
ARTIST STATEMENT
The animated art project Ever-changing directly refers to extreme weather which is one of the important and emerging topics of recent days, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Lately, abnormal weather is happening all around the world at the same moment, due to environmental destruction. My series of animations depict the background of Yonge-Dundas Square, which is blocked view by the electronic screens, with various state of weather signs above the cityscape. They are designed to be the suitable perspective from the center of the square with the simultaneous state of the weather on each screen because I would like to create an artwork being part of the physical space, and make the audience take a short time to think about the environmental changes which might worsen in the future where we and our descendants are going to live. The films were animated with the visual style of Motion graphics because of the precise and concise conveyance of the meaning due to Motion graphics characteristics.
Extreme Futures
Daniel Teh
ARTIST STATEMENT
The following animations visualize and imagine hypothetical extreme climate change futures in iconic places in Toronto. There is a challenge when trying to consider how to communicate with an issue that is very abstract where the consequences of it will only come in a far future that we can’t realize, nor can we relate to. However, with art and digital media, by creating virtual spaces we can try to see, to question and possibly act and decide how we carry our daily lives in our current climate history. The decision to use iconic places of Toronto was to appeal to the people of Toronto who may have connections to these places so that there is a sense of relevance when pulling these hypothetical extreme futures that bring destruction and desertion. It still proves difficult to appeal to many different people but if we can invoke people to question and consider the thought of our climate change, is at least something. It is only through knowing the consequences that we learn what we can avoid. The animation was created using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and After Effects, I gathered Google web searched images of iconic Toronto places as references to manipulate and imagine an extreme climate change future of the images such as tornadoes, air pollution, volcanic eruptions, and rising sea levels. Overall, it is an opportunity to imagine and visualise the catastrophic futures of iconic Toronto sites.
[Views of the Go]
Ivy Wu
ARTIST STATEMENT
This work explores the passage of time and how we often use transit as a means of taking a break and escaping the noise of our everyday lives. As I commute often to reach downtown Toronto, I thought it would be an interesting idea to explore the ways in which we use transit. I love exploring different ways to depict our everyday moments and using color and light to help enhance that. This work consists of four animations featuring a different time of day, representing the fact that we use transit consistently during all times of day. I want to use this work to express the feeling of peace and serenity as one often does when riding the go, whether it would be falling asleep or simply just staring out the video and admiring the views.
Slow Down
Lily Wu LINK: Lily Wu on Behance
ARTIST STATEMENT
With Yonge-Dundas Square being near the center of downtown Toronto, we are constantly submerged in a heavily industrialized surrounding. A break is important. Slow Down along with the symbols of peace and tranquillity, become that break, as they are usually not in plain sight within the city.
SERIES 2: May 29 to June 11, 2023
Water is Life
Olivia Cahyono
ARTIST STATEMENT:
I’m driven by the desire to capture the positive essence of our world and what we need to create a thriving environment for all, taking inspiration from my surroundings and experiences. Sharing beauty, joy, and peace through my artwork is done through my vibrant and fantasy-like art style. My animation is themed around water and the pandemic, exploring the emotional impact of this crisis on our lives and the planet. In the context of the pandemic, it has taken on an even greater significance as we grapple with issues of access, cleanliness, and scarcity. The setting takes place in a more relatable experience based on my photographs throughout the years. During the pandemic, I enjoyed the transition to staying indoors. However, I realized over time that I became increasingly unhappy being isolated and lost my motivation and purpose for my art. To find that spark again, I went back through my photos of memorable moments. I took my personal experience and coordinated with geographical locations—A journey through the photos—to relate with happy and peaceful moments. Rather than focusing on the uncertainty, it’s important to remember the joyful moments and what is essential to one’s life. Water tackles a different perspective that I handle in my own life, by flowing with ease and calmness through all situations. Ultimately, my hope is that my work will inspire empathy, understanding, and enjoying the moments we have in life through hardship.
Eternal in Digital
Gizem Güngör
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Digitizing a small selection of plants native to and threatened in Ontario, using stylized 3D art, brings much-needed attention to the native flora that might not be around tomorrow due to invasive species and loss of natural land. By immortalizing them using digital media, one is forced to think about the use of manmade technology in recording and preserving the world in its current state.
Reconnecting Paths
Gabe King LINK: Gabe King Art
ARTIST STATEMENT
In these 3 animations, I wanted to show how different people of different natures and areas of life can now come together once again and find other people who may be different from them. These animations show in a more abstract way how coming out of the pandemic, we are finally able to meet and connect with new people, or others we may have known but have not seen in some time. We all have developed and had time to walk our own path alone, and now we can come back, connect with others, and grow even more together. The animation style is reminiscent of my painting style, which currently is a series attempting to create these abstract geometric spaces that are challenging perceptions. Turing this into an animation breathes new life into this work, and helps to connect the main theme of one finding themselves in a world where nothing is ever just simple or normal.
Real World
Loria Liu
ARTIST STATEMENT
This animation is to express the sense of relief and joy that people feel as the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions are lifted, and they can finally venture outside again. My animation depicts a young boy who has been confined to his home during the lockdown. When the lockdown over, he is finally able to go outside and experience the world in person, instead of through photos and videos on social media. I want to capture the hope and gratitude that people feel when they can resume activities that they previously took for granted, such as playing outside with friends, visiting family members, or exploring their community. During creating this animation, I combined real world footage and digital animation techniques to bring the story to life. I mainly focused on depicting the little boy’s facial expression and movement to express his exciting feeling when he can go play outside. Overall, this 15-second- animation is to create a visual representation of the sense of hope and joy that accompanies the return to normalcy after a difficult period. I hope that it inspires others to appreciate the simple pleasures in life and to never take them for granted.
Consumed
Laiba Malik LINK: Gallery - Laiba Malik's Portfolio (format.com)
ARTIST STATEMENT
This project utilizes stop0moition and hand-drawn animation to depict the environmental impact of overconsumption in the fast fashion industry. By animating discarded clothing from popular brands, the project highlights the negative effects of trend-driven consumption and promotes responsible choices. My ultimate objective is to utilize my work to reflect on the times we live in, where consumer culture dominates our lives, and we are constantly bombarded with messages encouraging us to buy more, consume more, and in turn, discard more. Through highlighting the consequences of overconsumption on both the environment and society, I aspire to ignite discussions and inspire people to take action toward a more sustainable future.
