Two new public art exhibits installed in downtown Kingston
The City of Kingston has announced two new temporary public art exhibits which have been installed in downtown Kingston: Paved Paradise and Public Art at the Grand Theatre.
The City of Kingston’s Public Art Program supports the creation of contemporary public art by emerging and established artists through commissions and artist collaborations, according to a release from the City. The program produces art for public spaces throughout the city, contributes to developing a vibrant public realm in Kingston, and enhances a sense of community across the city, in the downtown, suburban, rural, and natural areas.
Through the program, the City is committed to?working with artists, residents and the public and private sectors in the ongoing development and implementation of public art projects to establish Kingston as a hub of creative placemaking that recognizes and builds on the City’s diverse history, engages its community and inspires its future leaders, according to the release.
The City shared the following details on the two new exhibits:
Paved Paradise
The first is the 2021 iteration of Paved Paradise, a temporary outdoor public art platform at the corner of Brock and Ontario Street features a new exhibit titled “Inside” by Kingston-based artist, Floriana Ehninger-Cuervo. A jury selected Ehninger-Cuervo’s proposal out of 25 applications. The exhibit reflects on the theme of resiliency in relation to community and connection and is part of Love Kingston Marketplace 2021 that is reimagining parts of the downtown to help respond to the impacts that residents, businesses, culture, tourism and the local economy face due to COVID-19.
“This platform celebrates and profiles local, professional visual artists, and this year, presents a series of colourful, playful and dynamic illustrations,” said Danika Lochhead, Manager, Arts and Sector Development. “This proposal spoke strongly to the theme of this year’s call for submissions, and the exhibit will enhance the area and spark reflection on how we are feeling as we navigate this time.”
Floriana Ehninger-Cuervo is a Kingston-based illustrator and lettering artist. She runs Colourful Crow Studio where she creates cards, prints, and interactive paper crafts.
Public Art at the Grand Theatre
The second exhibit, “The Woman in White”, is an augmented-reality photo exhibit by Roshanak Jaberi, an Iranian-born Canadian artist based in Toronto. “The Woman in White” tells the story of Juana Irma Cisneros Ticas’ forced disappearance during the Salvadoran civil war and provides a look into a daughter’s journey through love and loss, and her quest for justice.
“The Woman in White” is a companion piece to Jaberi Dance Theatre’s “No Woman’s Land”, a multi-disciplinary dance production addressing the plight and resistance of women in refugee camps. “No Woman’s Land” is scheduled to appear as part of the next Grand OnStage in-person season.
“Throughout the pandemic, staff have strived to deliver impactful performing arts experiences by extending the Grand OnStage program through a variety of virtual presentations,” said Jayson Duggan, Performing Arts Manager. “The opportunity to present ‘A Woman in White’ allows Grand OnStage to move beyond the theatre auditorium and offer a captivating public art exhibit while introducing the work of interdisciplinary artist, Roshanak Jaberi to our community ahead of a future performance being planned.”
“The Woman in White” exhibit is located at the front of the Grand Theatre at 218 Princess St.