Walls and Barriers: A Collaborative Project

Over 500 young artists respond to the work of artist El Anatsui

The Institute for Contemporary Culture (ICC) at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) presents Walls and Barriers: A Collaborative Project, an innovative art education project bringing together diverse youth from secondary schools and community agencies from across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). More than 500 young artists have created their own interpretation of walls and barriers in response to the ICC’s upcoming exhibition El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa, the world premiere career retrospective of internationally renowned contemporary artist El Anatsui. Walls and Barriers will be on display in the ROM's Canada Court from September 25 until October 23, 2010.

“The Walls and Barriers project asks diverse youth to collectively express their ideas about obstacles in their lives through art,” said Francisco Alvarez, Managing Director of the ICC. “Inspired by the work of El Anatsui, they have articulated their thoughts in a large and colourful work of art that we are very proud to display.”

The Walls and Barriers Project

Co-curated by Vanessa Barnett and Elena Soní, the collaborative art project was created by young artists and teachers from secondary schools and community agencies across the GTA. Taking inspiration from Mr. Anatsui’s concept of walls and barriers (“walls are opaque to the eye, but transparent to the imagination”), and his artistic practice of using found objects and creating vast wall sculptures, each of the 500 participants transformed a 10 x 12 inch Plexiglas panel into an individual art response, reflecting on walls and barriers they encounter themselves. Linked with each other in a manner that recalls Anatsui’s technique, the panels form a series of moveable walls, and part of a larger community project.

Unprecedented in its scale and conception, Walls and Barriers: A Collaborative Project inventively connects young artists from different backgrounds and initiates a dialogue on themes of overcoming obstacles. Drawn from 12 secondary schools across the Toronto District School Board, six private schools, community outreach programs Sketch and The Spot, as well as from the Beausoleil First Nations Reserve, the participants will get a chance to engage in dialogue with El Anatsui himself when he visits Toronto this September.

Watch the Walls and Barriers YouTube videos:

http://bit.ly/bONubE

http://bit.ly/dnwCNj

Fundraising Initiative

The ROM is appealing for votes from the public to win funding from Pepsi’s Refresh Project. The two projects receiving the most votes in the Arts & Culture category will be awarded $25,000 in funding to take their vision to the next level. Online voting takes place from September to October 31, 2010. To vote for Walls and Barriers, go to http://www.refresheverything.ca/wallsandbarriers

El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa

Walls and Barriers is inspired by the exhibition El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa. The world premiere of this career retrospective of Ghanaian contemporary artist El Anatsui will be on display the ROM from October 2, 2010 to January 2, 2011. This exhibition is the artist’s first solo show in Canada and features 63 works in various media drawn from public and private collections internationally. Drawing on Ghanaian and Nigerian cultural references as well as global, local and personal histories, El Anatsui’s 40-year body of work comprises large shimmering metallic wall sculptures, for which he is best known, as well as paintings and sculptures in wood, ceramic and metal.

This retrospective has been organized by the Museum for African Art, New York, and will be one of the inaugural exhibitions in its new building, which opens in 2011.

Season of Africa

The ROM celebrates a Season of Africa this fall, with a thought-provoking series of exhibitions and events inspired by African art and culture. Featured are two new exhibitions, El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa and Position as Desired/Exploring African Canadian Identity: Photographs from the Wedge Collection, both opening October 2, 2010. Later this fall, significant new African acquisitions to the ROM’s permanent collection will be unveiled. A full slate of related public events delves into the complex cultural, social and political issues of modern Africa. Themes ranging from contemporary arts to geo-political realities of the region will be explored through guest lectures, panel discussions and films.

Institute for Contemporary Culture

The Institute for Contemporary Culture is the Royal Ontario Museum's window on contemporary societies around the globe. Playing a vital role within the historical museum, the ICC examines current cultural, social and political issues throughout the modern world in thought-provoking exhibitions of contemporary art, architecture and design that are presented in the Roloff Beny Gallery and other galleries of the Museum. In addition, a roster of public events such as lectures, film series, debates and performances further explore relevant themes addressed in ICC exhibitions, and serves as a catalyst for stimulating public conversations. The ROM's extensive collections of world cultures and natural history through the ages add context, meaning and depth to these engaging discussions of contemporary ideas. More information at: www.rom.on.ca/icc

Supporting Sponsor – Moira and Alfredo Romano

El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa is organized by the Museum for African Art, New York, and has been supported, in part, by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

Documentary Partner – Arts in the Hood, Culture Toronto
http://www.livewithculture.ca