Lively Objects brings together artworks that vibrate with mechanical, digital, and magical forces. Installations hidden throughout the Museum of Vancouver's history galleries awaken our fascination with objects that come to life.
The artworks in Lively Objects take a variety of forms—gloves, tables, figurines, machines and projected images. Visitors can hunt for them or drift through the galleries and take their chances. Some works hide in plain sight, speaking only to those who stop to listen. Others deliberately pull focus and make a ruckus. Read more about the individual artworks here or download the brochure.
In Lively Objects, artefacts do not quietly await our appreciation. These enchanted artworks disrupt traditional museum categories and presentation techniques. They start surprising conversations with neighbouring objects and invite visitors to reconsider the museum experience.
Lively Objects is curated by Caroline Seck Langill, and Lizzie Muller. The exhibition features works created by faculty and alumni of OCAD University and Emily Carr University of Art and Design: Wendy Coburn, Steve Daniels, Judith Doyle, Kate Hartman, Garnet Hertz, Simone Jones and Lance Winn, Germaine Koh, and Norman White. It is part of The Living Effect, a SSHRC-funded project that investigates notions of “aliveness” in media arts objects.
Caroline Seck Langill is a Peterborough-based writer and artist. She has curated new media art exhibitions for various venues including SAW Gallery, the Ottawa Art Gallery, and InterAccess. Caroline Seck Langill is Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at OCAD University.
Lizzie Muller is a curator and researcher specializing in interdisciplinary collaboration, interaction, and audience experience. She is Director of the Masters in Curating and Cultural Leadership at UNSW Faculty of Art and Design, Australia.
Lively Objects is an associated exhibition of the 21st International Symposium on Electronic Art: ISEA2015.
Treva Michelle Legassie was assistant curator to Dr. Caroline Langill and Dr. Lizzie Muller for this exhibition and the Lively Objects symposium at the Banff Centre.