By Staff
January 3rd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
What does it mean to understand a person, a land or even a historical narrative?
The Art Gallery of Burlington(AGB) is asking the question How can I know you? in their newest spring exhibition. The exhibition curated by artist, curator, and scholar, Suzanne Morrissette will open on January 19th and run until April 28th. It features the work of Anong Beam, Dana Prieto, KC Adams, Krista Belle Stewart, Melissa General, and Panya Clark Espinal.
Morrissette holds a PhD from York University in Social and Political Thought. She currently holds the position of Assistant Professor and Graduate Program Director for two programs at OCAD University: Criticism and Curatorial Practices (MFA) and Contemporary Art, Design, and New Media Art Histories (MA).
“The exhibition aims to open a conversation about how we perceive the connections between people and the complex social and political circumstances that affect us and it all begins with a single question,” says curator Suzanne Morrissette. “In this exhibition, artists use materials from the land to weave narratives that encourage the audience to learn about the world around them. By delving into histories and understanding people, we can develop a greater sense of empathy and connection.”
Using materials sourced from the earth, the artists in How can I know you? work to share site-specific knowledge about kinship and generational relations, industry and settlement, social and political histories tied to settler nationalism and institutions, and about Indigenous territories in dialogue with one another.
AGB curator Suzanne Morrissette
How can I know you? is a question that comes from a comment artist Panya Clark Espinal shared during a studio visit with curator Suzanne Morrissette. It is a question that Clark Espinal asks of her materials, both as a way of coming to know them, as well as coming to know people, place, and history through the act of engaging with materials.
Both the exhibition and extended programming supports Morrissette’s ongoing research into and representations of colonial power and the intersections of contemporary art with geopolitics, decolonization, and social justice. How can I know you? is accompanied by a rich public program featuring talks, workshops, and performances in connection with a range of citywide collaborators and partners.
Exhibition Details
Lee-Chin Family Gallery
January 19–April 28, 2024
Founded in 1975
ABOUT THE AGB
The Art Gallery of Burlington (AGB) is an award-winning, public art gallery and community art centre situated in downtown Burlington, Ontario. Founded in 1975 for the purpose of creating a professional and social space to promote, protect and grow arts and crafts in Canada, the AGB continues to be an integral part of the community, and is home to the world’s largest collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics.
