Natural high

As the days get longer and warmer weather approaches, we’re all raring to get outside and move around. There is much to be artfully analyzed within our natural environments, including our own bodies and patterns of movement. Starting April 7, and running for three consecutive Wednesdays throughout the month, the AGO presents Movement/Nature: Guided Exercises by Artists. This virtual series features creative activities, led by Canadian artists, guiding audiences through non-strenuous exercises designed to inspire new connections with their surroundings in nature and at home. 

At 4 pm, the series officially launches with a live discussion via Zoom featuring the artists – Alexis Bulman, Enna Kim and Alex Gregory – in conversation with emerging curators from OCADU’s Criticism and Curatorial Practice MFA program. The artists will share insights about the unique ways they are utilizing both movement and nature in their work. After the launch, the first guided exercise will premiere on our AGO Youth Instagram page, followed by the remaining two sessions on April 14 and 21. Check out the descriptions of each below.    

A Traced Feeling by interdisciplinary artist Alexis Bulman

Photo courtesy of Alexis Bulman.

Based on the forward bend test – an examination that assesses for scoliosis by running a finger down a person’s spine – participants will be encouraged to trace their index finger over various surfaces within their space, then draw corresponding lines. The activity aims to prompt you to examine the shape your body makes in the spaces you inhabit. 

Red Crowned Crane by artist, designer and researcher Enna Kim (image at top)

This self-reflective exercise zeroes in on the physical act of drawing. You'll be guided through Enna Kim’s drawing process, which is inspired by Korean folk paintings with a focus on the cultural symbolism of cranes, peach trees and lotuses. By deeply reflecting on the meaning of these symbols while you are drawing will help you consider your relationship to objects and images.

Emotional Garden by artist-researcher Alex Gregory 

Image courtesy of Alex Gregory.

Alex Gregory will plantdahlia bulbs as a performative indication of spring and a metaphor for renewal. This act, usually marking the first gardening gesture of the year, is a reminder of our dependence on the cycles of nature. Audiences can simply observe, or you can even pick up some dahlia bulbs and try yourr hand at gardening, if yourr space permits. 

Don’t miss Movement/Nature: Guided Exercises by Artists, launching Wednesday, April 7 at 4 pm live via Zoom.