By: Swetha Srikanth
The 8th annual Toronto Design Offsite Festival (TO DO) took place on January 15-21. With over 100 free exhibitions, events, and installations, there are plenty of opportunities to experience design. I attended a few of these events, which included Matter and Come Up To My Room. The following works from these two events were created independently by women.
Matter
In this exhibition, artists and designers explore the theme of matter.
Scratch / Surface by Habiba El-Sayed, 2017, Styrofoam
The work communicates the objectification of Muslim women, who are often reduced to surface qualities, such as how they choose to dress. Habiba makes a direct mark onto the Styrofoam cups, using only her fingernails to create Islamic motifs. You would not think of this object as more than its intended purpose of a temporary vessel, but it transforms into a symbol of the power within. Looking past the surface, you can discover the complexity of the form.
Stack by Olga Klosowski, 2017, Ashes and Methylcellulose
This piece is an exploration of construction and discarded materials. The bricks are made of burnt objects, such as books, communicating how the remains of discarded objects have significance. The life cycle is limited as they will eventually deteriorate. The bricks create the illusion of heaviness and density, while being light. The “dead” objects seem to parallel a human’s life.
Come Up To My Room
At the Gladstone Hotel, artists are invited to create site specific and engaging installations.
Lucid Dreaming by Whyishnave Suthagar
This installation of thread and black light acts as a portal. The ripples imitate ocean waves. With subtle sound effects, the intimate space immediately transports you to another state. It blurs the line between reality and imagination, consciousness and unconsciousness.
Ice Cream by Samantha Jones
The photographs rebel against societal pressures and expectations that are placed on women. Focusing on eating, they stand up against the fear of not maintaining society’s idealized body. Facing judging eyes, they break away from the norms of acting proper. It’s an example of free, unapologetic expression.
Although women were a part of groups or companies that created other fascinating pieces, I chose to focus on the above as they were not only individual projects created by local women, but because they also left the greatest impact.
For more information about the festival, visit http://todesignoffsite.com/.
Photos taken by Swetha Srikanth.