Catalogue for the Confined exhibition, held at the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery from February 1 to May 8, 2022.
In March 2020, COVID-19 brought all of us to a standstill. In an instant, our lives changed dramatically in ways that we never expected as we coped with the isolation and confinement of a pandemic that swept around the world. As a result, many artists were barred from their studios—communal spaces of shared experience and creation. This situation encouraged some makers to explore new techniques, ideas, and modes of connecting, while others struggled with restricted access and isolation. Revealing the social, economic, and mental health issues that many of us face in new and more striking ways, COVID-19 also provided an opportunity to reflect, conceptualize, and create.
CONFINED brings together pieces from 31 artists from across Canada working in ceramics, glass, and copper enamelling. Through their diverse and intriguing works, these artists share the difficulties, trauma, and inventive creativity they experienced during the COVID-19 restrictions. As the pandemic slowly fades from our daily lives, CONFINED shows us the varied experiences of artists while reminding us of the societal cracks that were revealed and deepened by the pandemic and the potential for creation and innovation in the face of adversity.
Essays by Peter Flannery, Denis Longchamps, Abisola Oni, and Akycha Surette.
Featured Artists: Claire Anderson, Dick Averns, Jacinthe Baribeau, Laura Becker, Marie-Andrée Côté, Laurent Craste, Jerre Davidson, Karine Giboulo, Amy Gogarty, Jennifer Anne Kelly, Jordan MacLachlan, Alexandra McCurdy, Laura McKibbon, Natalie Nadeau & Crissy Jarvis, Maja Padrov, Janet Panabaker, Gilles Payette, Carole Pilon, Peter Powning, Leslie Putnam, Julia Reimer, Jessica Sallay-Carrington, Marko Savard, Jason Schiedel, Lo Scott, Yvonne Singer, Jan Smith, Alain-Marie Tremblay, Eekta Trienekens, Layne Verbeek, and George Whitney.
