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World of Threads Festival

Covid Forever

2023-24 Exhibition: Artwork

This small group exhibition commemorated the COVID-19 pandemic. The lives of everyone in the world were disrupted, and some of us were changed forever. Cities appeared empty as the world ground to a halt. We sheltered in place. Seven million people round the world died. After three years, we now live in different worlds. For many, COVID no longer exists and life went back to "normal". Some still take precautions like masking, and the medically vulnerable continue to isolate, For others it was all a hoax. Most of us took the vaccines, while some refused. What are the long-term effects? Did the world really change, or will the Covid pandemic ultimately disappear from general consciousness like the 1918 pandemic? For some, these lock-down months - or years, were an opportunity for self-reflection, What do I really want from my life? Who do I want to spend time with? Some people changed jobs, learned new skills, or worked from home - for good. Some people were exploited for labour, while others thrived. Imagery and themes in this show include corona viruses, variants of concern, face masks, social distancing, social bubbles, isolation, mass graves and the repetitive days of lock-down. Some artists were productive during the pandemic years and were able to focus on their work. Artists are often quite happy to be alone in a room, but perhaps not that alone.

Photography by Gareth Bate

Artwork

Backstage

Alison Schwabe

Carrasco, Montevideo, Uruguay

Variants of Interest, Alison Schwabe, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Variants of Interest, Alison Schwabe, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Variants of Interest, detail, Alison Schwabe, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Variants of Interest, detail, Alison Schwabe, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
So Many Coffins, detail, Alison Schwabe, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
So Many Coffins, detail, Alison Schwabe, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
So Many Coffins, Alison Schwabe, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
So Many Coffins, Alison Schwabe, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.

Curators

  • Canada: Ontario: Toronto: Gareth Bate
  • Canada: Ontario: Oakville: Dawne Rudman

 

Artists

  • Canada: British Columbia: Nelson: Maggie Tchir, Ontario: Toronto: Susan Avishai, Bernadette Badali, Tracy Gorman, Michele Guevara, Honey Mitchell, Leanne Powers, Elaine Whittaker.
  • Uruguay: Montevideo: Carrasco: Alison Schwabe.

Leanne Powers

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Bleeding Heart of St Corona,  Leanne Powers, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Bleeding Heart of St Corona, Leanne Powers, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Bleeding Heart of St Corona, detail, Leanne Powers, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Bleeding Heart of St Corona, detail, Leanne Powers, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.

Synchronistic Curating

Something that's different about World of Threads Festival is that we let the art guide us. Festival curators Gareth Bate and Dawne Rudman don't have predetermined curatorial ideas or impose our concepts on the artists. Each new festival is a blank slate. Shows develop entirely out of the submissions we receive.

To find our main exhibitions we look for connections and common themes between thousands of artworks. These works were made by hundreds of artists from around the world. Often artists seem to be on the same wavelength during a particular period. Over time, through many hours of sorting through artworks, the exhibition themes just emerge and become clear to us. This method has been very successful and resulted in compelling and unique exhibitions.

Installation View, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Installation View, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Installation View, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Installation View, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.

Susan Avishai

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I Want to Bubble with Everyone, Susan Avishai, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
I Want to Bubble with Everyone, Susan Avishai, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
I Want to Bubble with Everyone, Susan Avishai, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
I Want to Bubble with Everyone, Susan Avishai, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
I Want to Bubble with Everyone, detail, Susan Avishai, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
I Want to Bubble with Everyone, detail, Susan Avishai, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.

Gallery

  • The Corridor Galleries at Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre.

City

  • Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Dates

  • Oct. 10, 2023 - Jan 24, 2024

Bernadette Badali

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Waiting Game,  Bernadette Badali, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
The Waiting Game, Bernadette Badali, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.

Elaine Whittaker

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Variants, detail, Elaine Whittaker, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Variants, detail, Elaine Whittaker, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Variants, Elaine Whittaker, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Variants, Elaine Whittaker, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Variants, Elaine Whittaker, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Variants, Elaine Whittaker, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Variants, detail, Elaine Whittaker, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Variants, detail, Elaine Whittaker, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.

Michele Guevara

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Pandemic Time, Michele Guevara, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Pandemic Time, Michele Guevara, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Pandemic Time, detail, Michele Guevara, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Pandemic Time, detail, Michele Guevara, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Pandemic Time, detail, Michele Guevara, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Pandemic Time, detail, Michele Guevara, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.

Maggie Tchir

Nelson, British Columbia, Canada

Home, A Fragile Shelter, Maggie Tchir, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Home, A Fragile Shelter, Maggie Tchir, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Home, A Fragile Shelter, detail, Maggie Tchir, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Home, A Fragile Shelter, detail, Maggie Tchir, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Home, A Fragile Shelter, detail, Maggie Tchir, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Home, A Fragile Shelter, detail, Maggie Tchir, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Home, A Fragile Shelter, detail, Maggie Tchir, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Home, A Fragile Shelter, detail, Maggie Tchir, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.

Tracy Gorman

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Honour, Tracy Gorman, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Honour, Tracy Gorman, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Honour, Tracy Gorman, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Honour, Tracy Gorman, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Honour, Tracy Gorman, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Honour, Tracy Gorman, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Honour, Tracy Gorman, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Honour, Tracy Gorman, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.

Honey Mitchell

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

All Alone detail, Honey Mitchell, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
All Alone detail, Honey Mitchell, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
All Alone, detail, Honey Mitchell, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
All Alone, detail, Honey Mitchell, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Installation View, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Installation View, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Installation View, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.
Installation View, Forever Covid, World of Threads Festival 2023-24.

Artwork

Authors