“…Created from the slow, meticulous layering of ephemeral domestic materials such as paint, stucco and wallpaper, the sculptures in Gathered Mass were gradually grown from tiny cores into dense, weighty objects that belie the lightness and delicacy of their constituents. With the intimate, time consuming ritual of growing the masses daily in her studio, the addition of each new layer of material became a trace of a gesture, of a moment, and of a thought for Hurd, all held within the object and sealed between each carefully applied coating. As each new strata of material was applied, what is underneath was concealed, and yet that material history is held within the sculpture and is inherent in its form – as each layer shapes that which came after it. The physical formation of the masses and the traces of the thoughts and gestures retained within them give a heavy, tangible physicality to the intangible weight of the reflections and emotions carried by the artist throughout their creation…”

– excerpt from exhibition essay by Christie Kirchner 

“The work of Montreal-based artist Emmanuelle Jacques explores the reflexive nature of urban space, the expansive potential of territory, and human reflection upon these structures. Presented through ever-evolving projects, the content of her work reflects the process from which it is birthed; excitingly transformative and speculative, projects like The Creation of the Universe mediate the boundlessness of possibility, randomness, and the limitations of the mind. Jacques’ projects have been exhibited across Canada and she has hosted an abundance of creative workshops that continue the explorative nature of her practice. Her art book Lieux communs: Commonplaces is an emotive rendering of cartography, which recalls psychogeographic explorations of space. This work highlights the wonder in the mundane, echoing the sentiments of the Situationists in its emotive reorientation of utilitarian space. Similarly, The Creation of the Universe recasts this wonder in a spectacular fashion, positioned outward to the cosmo…”

– excerpt from exhibition essay by Nathan Flaig

“The briefest, most glancing analysis of contemporary drawing practice reveals the obvious variety of work exhibited under the name of “drawing”, making it increasingly more difficult to define the term. Drawing is traditionally seen as the basis of visual communication, existing well before the written alphabet or culturally complex language. Within all of its many forms, the act of drawing retains the most basic systematic process: to observe, understand, and record. In his work, Jeff Kulak takes on the responsibility of facilitating the understanding of complex ideas through graphic, typographic, and pictorial elements…” 

– excerpt from exhibition essay by Scott Baird

“Any soul born from childhood will connect with the universal experience of growing up, a sensation that Laura Peturson implores with apparent effortlessness – and capitalizes on as a space to draw attention to the world that today’s children are destined to inherit. Within large scale murals, Peterson immerses her audience in a fantasy land that at first glance seems separate from the adult world. And yet, there is something looming in the margins. Some hunch that two realms are in a quiet conflict with each other. The innocence of children, so enchanting in the ease of their wonderment, is being invaded by the greater, corruptible, ever more complicated context that  cradles them. The world we live in now…” 

– excerpt from Wasteland / Wanderland–exhibition essay by Shaun Crawford

Public School began in early 2013 as a proposition to generate and sustain shared projects that involve a rotating roster of artists and thinkers spanning great distances. Ardent researchers and itinerant, multidisciplinary artists in their own right, Emily Hope and Lea Bucknell have modelled Public School to be a roving forum, for inquiry and knowledge sharing. By mailing out thematic art kits to participants all over the country and exhibiting the results, sharing information through the online Public School Newsletter , and engaging communities with workshops, artist talks and public forums, Public School aims to develop a strong ensemble of talented collaborators.