THE WORKS ART & DESIGN FESTIVAL: Decode as you see fit
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The Works Art & Design Festival 1 Capital Plaza, Edmonton, Alberta
The Works 2019
The 2019 festival marks the 34th year of The Works with this year's theme CODE.
“We have asked artists to consider the many forms of code that permeate our culture. Access, information, and communication are addressed throughout the festival program, and your understanding of the exhibits will depend on your experiences,” says Executive Artistic Director Amber Rooke.
The Festival welcomes back sculptor José Luis Torres – creator of Canopy, a 2016 festival installation in Sir Winston Churchill Square that covered 225 square metres. Torres returns this year with Tangible, an architectural installation of over 300 colourfully repurposed doors found and donated by the Edmonton community. Walk around, in, and up this coliseum-like structure and discover a different view.
The main festival site features over a dozen exhibits, including returning festival artist Yong Fei Guan, with a monstrous golden piggy bank that examines the issue of plastic waste. The idea of “pig” is coded with a dichotomy of cultural meanings. In addition to a plethora of exhibits, the Festival presents different art performances each day of the festival. Catch Stacey Cann’s first Deliver performance at Capital Plaza from 4:30 – 8:30 pm, where she explores women’s labour and how It is viewed in society.
More than a gallery, The Works celebrates the artist in everyone. Create masks and glasses to re-imagine social codes or see through secret codes using mixed-media collage at The WorksShop, noon – 8 pm every day of the festival.
Explore Edmonton’s thriving arts community by visiting the many festival sites such as Norquest College – host of Negotititating “Asian-ness” in Canada. Created by Asian artists in Alberta and British Columbia, their work investigates what it means to be a part of the Asian diaspora in Canada today through painting, video, installation work, photography, and comics. Check out The Works’ partner venues and get to know the multitude of galleries around town.
Discover more about this year’s theme, and how each artist has incorporated it into their work by signing up for Walk with The Works – a guided tour starting 2, 4 & 6 pm daily. The Works Art & Design Festival is excited to share each and every experience this Festival holds with you and in the spirit of this yea’rs theme, we invite you to decode as you see fit.
“As you parse the art at this year’s Works Festival, I encourage you to share your lens, as well as to seek neew perspectives. Tell us, what do you see?”, invites Executive Artistic Amber Rooke.
All programming is free to the public. The Works Art & Design Ferstival is on now until July 2, 2019 at Capital Plaa on the Legislature Grounds. For more information, check the website, theworks.ab.ca.