During the first wave of COVID, a trend of capturing moments of stillness emerged on Instagram. This manifested as detailed oriented pictures such as blooming trees, peculiar storefront signs, beautiful evening skies, or contrasting textures joined on the same surface. Intriguing visual accounts of one's adventures in their immediate surroundings have filled feeds with pockets of travelling logs, sharing a slice of escapism. This workshop, led by curator and writer Geneviève Wallen, aims to cultivate and explore the effects provided by small wonders and simple awes. Participants will receive a list of seven playful photographic prompts to complete before the workshop. During the online workshop, participants will be invited to share their images and experiences with the other participants. Following the sharing session, participants will come together to collectively generate more prompts to support creative energies during the upcoming pandemic winter. A practice in play, sharing and exploring, this workshop aims to reinvigorate creativity and hone an appreciation for the often overlooked details.
Examples of playful prompts:
1) Flip a coin. Head: find a sharp-edged object. Tail: capture something soft or plushy.
2) Set an alarm to take a picture on November 24th, at 4:44 pm.
3) Find a cracked surface.
--
Please note: G44 online workshops are currently being offered at a sliding scale with the suggested amounts:
$25 - non members
$20 - members
$15 - non-members/Members with Covid-Reduced Income
Geneviève Wallen is a Tiohtiá:ke/Montreal-based independent curator and writer. She obtained a BFA in Art History at Concordia University (2012) and an MFA in Criticism and Curatorial Practice at OCAD University (2015). Wallen's practice is informed by diasporic narratives, intersectional feminism, intergenerational dialogues, BIPOC alternative futurities and healing platforms. Her ongoing research focuses on the notion of longevity as a methodology for resistance and care work in the arts. Her most recent curated exhibition, Made of Honey, Gold, and Marigold (2020), was on view at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa. Wallen contributed essays for C magazine and the anthology Other Places; Reflections on Media Arts in Canada, edited by Deanna Bowen. She is an Exhibition Coordinator at Fofa Gallery, a member of YTB (Younger than Beyoncé) collective, and is the co-initiator (with Marsya Maharani) of Souped Up! a thematic dinner series conceived to carve spaces for care and support building among BIPOC curators and cultural workers.
