Vernissage and guided tour: June 12 at 6 pm
Reconstructed is a collection of mixed-media works by neurodivergent artists in the “Art Seen” programme, an ARTreach initiative launched at the Visual Art Centre (VAC) in 2022. Through this community outreach programme, emerging artists from Wagar Adult Education Centre gain access to studio facilities within the VAC’s vibrant artistic community. The exhibition also includes multimedia artworks by students in the graphic design socio-vocational programme at Wagar.
Reconstructed seeks to redress the prevailing art historical narrative that has until recently omitted diverse thinkers, genders, and races. Neurodivergence refers to the diversity of cognitive processing in individuals on the autism spectrum or, more broadly, to those whose neuro-cognition differs from typically observed patterns. The works in this exhibition are a visual exploration of the intersection of art history and neurodivergence, reflecting the students’ thoughts and ideas regarding inclusion, a term frequently used in educational and institutional settings that support neurodivergence. Repurposing aged art history books, they have torn out pages to create collages that are then painted and manipulated. For example, in the piece Judy, Judy, Judy, the students pay tribute to Judith Scott, a neurodivergent artist who has become an art icon and whose work has been exhibited at prestigious venues such as the Venice Biennale.
This body of work contributes to a growing conversation about art history and art education, how it has been taught in the past and how it is approached today. To change art history, we must start in the classroom. The “Art Seen” programme supports efforts to restore neurodivergent artists to their rightful place within the art world. Art education should be inclusive of all artists, irrespective of neurodivergence. Only then can we claim that a system truly embraces diversity.
Participating artists: Matthew Brotherwood, Antoine Chu, Norine Gabriel, Victoria Mcintosh, Ellis Nassef-Goldsmith, Jonathan Pepin, Juliette Plamondon, Lisa Potter, Reda Safieddine and Jessica Teixeira-Pinto, and students from Wagar’s graphic design programme: Jared Ah-Wan, William Brinckman-Smith, Hunter Cullen, Mitchell Deschamps, Amir-Hosein Eslami, Raquel Iny, Joshua-Keanu James, Jeckson Earl Jimenez, Fiaz Khalid, Ricardo Masciotra, Christopher Ortner, Allan Pazos, Michelle Perron-Elgee, Dominick Potvin-Rahill, Mohammed Raja, Zachary Silas-Gagnon and Nathan Stacey.