On April 6, the Integrative Arts program will host Into a Kaleidoscope at 918 Bathurst Street. Featured alongside work by Integrative Art students, pieces from other artists within the school of arts, media, performance, and design (AMPD) will also be showcased.
Shadi Mohammad, a first-year integrative art student, will be presenting her project Integrating Iranian Hand-Woven Carpets into Fashion. As a fashion designer and artist, Mohammad expresses that she hopes to shed light on both the artistic and cultural impacts of Iranian carpets.
“Through centuries of meticulous craftsmanship, these carpets have become synonymous with authenticity and beauty, captivating audiences globally. With a familial background in the Iranian carpet industry and a passion for fashion design, I am driven to showcase the splendour of Iranian hand-woven art through my clothing creations,” says Mohammad.
“By infusing traditional motifs and designs into modern fashion, I aim to honour my heritage while captivating audiences with the timeless elegance of Iranian craftsmanship. Integrating Iranian hand-woven carpets into fashion is not only a creative endeavour, but also a testament to the enduring legacy of Iranian craftsmanship,” she adds.
Ivan Ceria, a third-year media arts and concurrent education student, and Jaidah-Leigh Wyatt, a third-year media arts and creative writing student, will be working together to present their piece CHROMA’S KEY, an exciting immersive art installation exploring the internet aesthetics of the early 2000’s through radio, TV, and more.
“The main aim of the piece is for participants to find CHROMA’S KEY, which is a password-locked CD that will need to be inserted into the PC display we have set up. The password itself is hidden within the files on the computer itself,” shares Wyatt.
“There’s a lot of moving parts to the exhibition and once it’s all there it’s going to be amazing! I’m really looking forward to the audience’s interactions with the piece. I hope they like the Windows XP display, the commercial, and (of course) the radio show! Ivan and I have put a lot of time into it, and we hope this effort is shown through the installation itself.”
Ceria shares this sentiment: “Until now, I’ve only showcased my work virtually through social media, so having our work set up in a physical space for people to see is an absolute privilege.” He admits that finding old technology at York to use in their installation wasn’t too difficult, but it was a challenge installing old software.
Maggie Tsang, a third-year integrative arts student, will be presenting their multi-media installation Lost Time, which is inspired by reflections of regretful conversations or lost connections using a telephone as a visual representation.
“In some cases, people may stubbornly refuse to reach out to their loved ones after a heated argument. If one of them were to encounter an unfortunate accident, the one left behind would be consumed by remorse. We’ve all seen that in movies. Therefore, the goal of my artwork is to inspire people to reflect on the mistakes made in communication and avoid repeating them in the future,” shares Tsang.
Jaelyn Jones, a fourth-year dance student, is presenting her piece Isn’t Everything, which premiered at ReGeneration, the York Dance Ensemble showcase in February.
“The piece includes a metal frame and knit abstract garments which were created by myself and the dancers. Throughout the piece, the dancers wear the knit pieces, dance with them, and eventually string them up inside the frame to create an intersecting, interweaving tapestry of fabric. The way the dancers string up the fabric changes with every performance so the art they make onstage is always specific to the time and place it is created,” says Jones.
Originally created for a proscenium stage, Jones explains that she is excited to see how the piece is translated onto a gallery space.
Kim Cheung, a third-year integrative arts student, will be presenting their piece Lament in Smoke. “My goal for this project was to illuminate the transformative powers of grief. Grief is one of those unique feelings that is both universal and yet so personal and isolating. I believe that grief is transformative with its capability of allowing ourselves to consider both our pasts and our futures, and the people who shape it.”
The artists share that they are looking forward to seeing everyone’s art, and that this event is an exciting opportunity for each piece to complement one another.
“The best thing about the Integrative Arts program is the opportunity to explore artworks presented by artists from all sorts of backgrounds. From performances to visual art and digital media, there’s a wide range of mediums to explore in this event,” adds Tsang.
To learn more about this free event, click here.
