Small World Music 180 Shaw St, Toronto, ON, Toronto

Join us for a conversation with Brooklyn-based artist Eleana Antonaki and curators ma ma (Magdalyn Asimakis and Heather Rigg) held in conjunction with the exhibition A Big Heritage with A Glorious Past at Critical Distance. Antonaki, Asimakis, and Rigg will discuss Antonaki’s work within the exhibition and her practice more broadly, alongside questions of politically motivated migration, ideas of home and temporary housing, and archaeology.

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The Learning Zone, OCAD University 122 A St Patrick St., Toronto

What is a “Good” Goodbye? is a collaborative poetry workshop facilitated by Mediator and Regenerative Design Facilitator Kathy Porter. During the program, participants take part in a presentation about Medical Assistance in Dying and the option to control one’s end of life experience. After the presentation, they are given a policy document to cut and paste, restructuring the regulated language to make room for their own synthesis of the material. In an effort to raise awareness around the choices we have over our lives—and in turn, deaths—Kathy Porter creates a space for much needed conversation around planning one’s own “good” goodbye. This event is FREE—please register on Eventbrite .Find out more

The Learning Zone, OCAD University 122 A St Patrick St., Toronto

Tuesday, January 21st, 4–5 pm The Learning Zone, OCAD University 122 A St. Patrick Street Taboo Health presents Mr. Dak: The Tale of a Special Turtle, a family-friendly story-time reading and Q&A with author Dayna Saba. Saba’s first children’s book broaches the topic of death through narrative storytelling. After experiencing the loss of her grandfather, Saba created the picture-book as both a playful biography and a tool by which to explain his passing to her young nephew. Written as a reminder that great love endures even after we are gone, Mr. Dak: The Tale of a Special Turtle is a compassionate introduction to concepts of loss and remembrance and provides an entry point for young children to express and process emotions surrounding the…Find out more

Critical Distance Suite 122 at 401 Richmond Street West, Toronto

Panel discussion with Sean Lee, Elizabeth Sweeney, Andy Slater, Wy Joung Kou and Aislinn Thomas Moderated by Emily CookFind out more

Critical Distance Suite 122 at 401 Richmond Street West, Toronto

This workshop engages participants in a way of being attuned to the imperceptible, what one ‘sees’ peripherally, taking seriously those forms of knowing that have historically been pathologized in Western colonial logics as irrational and delusional. Manning will navigate the workshop through storytelling. HOW TO REGISTER Please note this is a PWYC (pay-what-you-can) pre-registered workshop limited to 10 participants. Spots are first come, first served and reservable by filling out this form: Critical Distance is committed to paying fair wages as well as reducing barriers to participation in our programs. Any amount (as in: no amount is too large or too small!) that you can contribute is much appreciated and we thank you for your continued support for our programs…Find out more

Paperhouse Studio 180 Shaw Street, Toronto

In this workshop, participants will be introduced to key aspects of Vanessa Dion Fletcher’s practice and research that went into making “Finding Language: A Word Scavenger Hunt”, a performance that examines the intersections between Indigenous language, neurodiversity, and learning disability. Participants will work towards making their own word scavenger hunt that responds to individual subjectivities, politics, and languages. EVENT LOCATION and ACCESSIBILITY This event will take place at Paperhouse Studio which is located on the south side of the first floor at Artscape Youngplacea wheelchair accessible building with a ramp at the 180 Shaw Street doors, and an accessible washroom on every level. Gendered multi-stall washrooms are also on every level, and single stall family washrooms are available on levels…Find out more

Small World Music 180 Shaw St, Toronto, ON, Toronto

INDIGENEITY, NEURODIVERSITY, AND THE ARTS A conversation with Vanessa Dion Fletcher and Dolleen Tisawii’ashii Manning DOLLEEN TISAWII’ASHII MANNING is a member of Kettle and Stoney Point First Nation, currently residing in Toronto. She is an interdisciplinary artist and scholar, with a PhD in Theory and Criticism (Western University) and an MFA in Contemporary Art (Simon Fraser University). Manning is an Assistant Professor in Indigenous Education and Pedagogy at York University, on leave while completing her SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship at Michigan State University (Philosophy, 2018-2020). Manning’s research takes up Anishinaabe imaging practices, epistemological sovereignty, and the debilitating impact of settler colonial logics. VANESSA DION FLETCHER is a Lenape and Potawatomi neurodiverse artist. She graduated from The School of the Art Institute…Find out more

Artscape Youngplace 180 Shaw St, Toronto

Critical Distance Centre for Curators is pleased to participate in an international exchange with TBA21-Academy in response to the release of the IPCC Special Report on the Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC). Scheduled to be published on September 28th, the report and proceedings with be presented at the Climate Justice for a Living Ocean at Ocean Space in Venice as part of Phenomenal Ocean, a convening to be led by Chus Martinez, Director of Institut Kunst in Basel. Coinciding with the events in Europe, Critical Distance will host a public open screening of videos from TBA21 and Ocean Archive, and will simultaneously transmit a daylong series of liveposts from The Drowned World, featuring artworks by over 25 artists in the Ontario Place Cinesphere, curated by Charles Stankievech for the inaugural Toronto Biennial…Find out more

Small World Music 180 Shaw St, Toronto, ON, Toronto

We are excited to continue the conversation on the state of independent critical arts publishing across Canada with a panel involving Anthea Black and Jessica Lynn Whitbread from The HIV Howler, Adrienne Crossman from Off Centre, Lauren Lavery from Peripheral Review, and Niki Little from imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, moderated by Maxine Proctor. There will be refreshments and all are welcome. Location is Artscape Youngplace, on the first floor at Unit 101, Small World Music Centre. Building is wheelchair accessible. This is a FREE event but please RSVP to rsvp@criticaldistance.ca as this helps us plan for enough space and refreshments. This event follows Happy Hour with The HIV Howler, a presentation by Anthea Black and Jessica Whitbread in conversation with Danielle St. Amour (SBC galerie d’art contemporain – Gallery of Contemporary Art).   BIOGRAPHIES Anthea Black is a Canadian artist,…Find out more