Our Main Building and galleries will not be open to the public for Nuit Blanche. Access to “Hopes and Fears Assembly” will be on the northwest side of the Main Building.

September 21, 2022 – January 8, 2023

LAYERS

Olivia Mae Sinclair

Ontario

Curated by Melanie Egan

Layers

Photo courtesy of the artist

Overview

LAYERS is a self-referential solo exhibit that contemplates the relationship between traumatic memory and the physical body. Inspired by The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, artist Olivia Mae Sinclair interprets the inner body and intrusive thoughts through textiles prints and book sculptures. All the x-ray images are of the artist’s body. “Normally, I use archive images of intimate moments in my work. However, the concept of LAYERS was born after having a dental scan with all my facial piercings visible. I want to show everyone the inside of my body. Tracking the x-rays took months and countless phone calls to doctors’ offices. I was shocked at how difficult it was to obtain all the records and images, and many were erased, and I was unable to get them back.” Sinclair considers the implications of inside and outside. Within privacy, vulnerability, layers of the body, layers of textiles and layers of meanings. 

As part of Nuit Blanche

About Olivia Mae Sinclair

Olivia Mae Sinclair is a textile-book artist. Her intuitive and trauma-based practice is guided by sloppy craft and imperfection. She is addicted to infatuation and Red Bull. She has recently graduated from OCAD University’s Interdisciplinary Master’s in Art, Media and Design program. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Craft and Design at Sheridan College. Sinclair is a current Artist-in-Residence at Harbourfront Centre. Typically, books made from fabric are intended for children and infants. Sinclair’s books, however, are made for lovers, survivors, artists, her, him, them and me. 

Venue

245 Queens Quay W

Large gallery space located in a large brick building, separate from the Harbourfront Centre main building.

Wheelchair Accessible

245 Queens Quay W

Toronto, ON

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Keywords Public Art