404 ERROR is an exhibition presenting works by students from the 2021 graduating class of the Sheridan College and University of Toronto Mississauga joint Art & Art History program. The exhibition is curated by Task Manager, a collective of students from FAH451: Curating Now. Presented virtually on the Blackwood Gallery website, on Instagram (@404error.exhibition), and via the 404 ERROR Podcast, the works of twenty emerging artists collectively explore the process of troubleshooting as a metaphor for various modes and mechanisms for navigating, coping with, challenging, questioning, and resisting the violent and oppressive systems we inhabit.

The title of the exhibition, 404 ERROR, alludes to the HTTP status codes displayed when a requested webpage cannot be found due to a dead or broken link. Working through sculpture, painting, photography, video, and performance, the exhibiting artists explore online and offline realities, often in search of something that has yet to be re-invented, re-imagined, or created. While the words “dead” and “broken” are often used interchangeably for missing webpages, the former implies a permanent end to a cycle and the latter, something that can be restored or fixed. As the artists in this exhibition set about responding to a precarious, unjust, and broken system, we reflect on recent activist work, including a provocation brought forward by the Black Lives Matter movement: What if the inequities in the system are not errors? What if it was built this way?

So we Refresh the Page, hoping an individual act of self-care will address the whole. It is a time for reflection. Re-examining ourselves some more, we Check the URL: The solution to our server error may be as simple as correcting a spelling mistake. And when simple becomes complex, we Clear the Cache and Cookies, purging what we’ve known to make space for radical change. And when all else fails and we find ourselves staring at the same results, we check for viruses and Remove Malware lurking in the system (after all, sometimes a 404 page is intentionally hiding something vicious), demanding a pursuit of systemic upheaval.

While each exhibiting artist has found their own way to navigate problematic systems, we are reminded that processes of troubleshooting (like processes of social and political transformation) are not linear—countless re-imaginings exist in between each action. Together, the works in 404 ERROR speak to a larger community of ideas, solutions, strategies, and artistic tools addressing class consciousness, equality, intersectionality, and the role of decolonization. The graduating artists have provided a framework for troubleshooting a society whose errors, glitches, inequities, and failures have been brought forward by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are a people reckoning with our past: from the disproportionate effects the virus is having on racialized and low-income communities, to the growing awareness that slavery and racism have lived on in policing and carceral systems. As the graduating artists grapple with existing in a time of both violence and transformation, many artists turn to celebrating love, community, and healing in their works. Let us re-invent alongside them. Identifying an error is just the first step—our actions are what matters next.

An error has occurred: The page could not be found. We first refresh the URL. It may be a simple case of the page not loading properly. We refresh as if taking a calming breath, allowing for a moment of rest, capturing the opportunity for reflection as we wait for the page to finish loading. Often a pause and small shift in perspective is all we need.

An error has occurred: The page could not be found. We double-check the URL for any spelling mistakes. It is tedious and meticulous to go through long website URLs, but necessary work to ensure changes can be made. If we take the time to properly re-examine and address the issue, we might reach where we want to be.

An error has occurred: The page could not be found. We clear the browser cache and delete any cookies; often things can build up and we must clean out the issues that take up space. Sometimes an overhaul is needed—the slate wiped clean—if we are to move forward.

An error has occurred: The page could not be found. Unfortunately, your device may be infected with malware and you must run a diagnostic. In the event that you find malware, many files may need to be deleted. In some cases, you may need a complete reset. This issue necessitates an in-depth examination to find the root causes. From there, thorough change is required—not only so we can move forward, but to ensure our safety.

Please join us on April 14, 2021 for the virtual launch of the 2021 Art & Art History graduating exhibition.

Launch: Wednesday, April 14, 2021, 7–8:30pm on Zoom and livestreamed on the Blackwood website.
To attend via Zoom: https://utoronto.zoom.us/s/87808394546.
This event will also be livestreamed on this page. Automatic closed-captioning will be provided.

Artists and curators will be in attendance to introduce the exhibition and launch the publication.