Presenting recent works by students from the 2023 graduating class of the joint Sheridan College and University of Toronto Mississauga Art & Art History program, Everyday Encounters: Recent Points of View invites audiences to consider different explorations of identity, memory, and place-making. Through a diverse range of work, the exhibition highlights often overlooked moments of everyday life. Together, the selected pieces illuminate interconnectivity between materials, communities, and ways of making.

Curatorial Statement

Everyday Encounters: Recent Points of View is a group exhibition of new works by the 2023 graduating class in the joint Art and Art History program at the University of Toronto Mississauga and Sheridan College. The exhibition highlights often overlooked moments of everyday life and invites the audience to explore identity, memory, and place-making.

Through a diverse range of media and forms of expression including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, animation, video, and performance, Everyday Encounters sheds light on intimacy, identity, and memory. Ranging from prints and drawings of home places, photographs taken during transit, and sculptures made from found objects, the exhibition represents the interconnectedness of our experiences and reminds us that despite our differences, we all share common threads in our daily lives. Together, the selected pieces illuminate the interconnectivity between materials, artists, and ways of creating.

Focusing on people, places, and objects, the exhibition draws on artists’ experiences of navigating between complex identities and representations. The artists’ diverse perspectives prompt a conversation about different interpretations of the world and their experiences of them. For some artists, it means exploring ideas of a sustainable future by delving into their surroundings, observing cityscapes and infrastructures. For other artists, it means presenting objects and textures of significance to them, recalling personal memories of childhood, family, and relationships, and collecting memories of culture and communities.

Everyday Encounters asks: How is one’s sense of self and belonging developed through daily encounters? How do surrounding environments shape personal and collective identities as well as relations? This exhibition offers the audience an opportunity to see the world through varied perspectives to create a more empathetic and harmonious society.

Exhibition Opening

Please join us for the opening reception of Everyday Encounters on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 from 5–7pm at the Blackwood Gallery, University of Toronto Mississauga (Kaneff Centre 140). Featuring performances by Candace Minott and Jing Han Yang.

Public Programs

Paint Your Everyday Encounters

April 5, 12–2pm
e|gallery, CCT Building
Free refreshments will be served

Paint Your Everyday Encounters is a unique opportunity for individuals to express their perspectives on everyday life through a collaborative art project. During this activity, participants are invited to contribute their thoughts and experiences on a single paper roll in response to the themes explored in Everyday Encounters: Recent Points of View. Whether it be a conversation with a stranger, a moment of reflection while commuting, or a simple act of kindness, participants are encouraged to de-stress and share their unique perspectives on these everyday moments.

This collaborative art project demonstrates the interconnectedness of our experiences and reminds us that despite our differences, we all share common threads in our daily lives. As each participant adds their individual contribution to the paper roll, the artwork grows and evolves, reflecting the collective experiences of participants.

Lunchtime Artist Talks

April 12, 12–2pm
Blackwood Gallery, Kaneff Centre room 140
Free refreshments will be served

The Everyday Encounters: Recent Points of View exhibition will feature artist talks, allowing attendees to gain a deeper understanding of the themes and artworks on display. The graduating artists will speak about their encounters with materials, memory, urban spaces, and the self. Attendees will be transported through the personal stories and experiences shared by the artists, offering unique and intimate insights into the creative process behind their works. The audience will also have the chance to ask questions, share their thoughts and engage in a dialogue with the artist.

The combination of the artist talk and gallery tour creates a dynamic and engaging event that allows attendees to explore the artist's work from multiple perspectives. Whether they are interested in the creative process, the themes explored in the artwork, or simply want to appreciate the artwork itself, there is something for everyone at this event.