The Prosthetic

May 30 - September 30, 2015

Ontario Science Centre

Meaghan Dalby, Haleigh Fox, Dan Lake, Nicole Marcogliese, Cady Moyer

This exhibition brings together student artists from the new Life Studies specialization at OCAD University with curators from the UofT Museum Studies program to explore how the idea of prosthetics can help us reimagine identities, modes of self-expression, and what it means to be human.  Student art and research not only discuss extensions of the body but also ways to re-imagine, refine, and hypothesize their future operations.

Intended Audience:
The Prosthetic’s intended audience are visitors to the !dea Gallery at the Ontario Science Centre, primarily parents of young families and young adults.

Venue:
This exhibit takes place in the !dea Gallery at the Ontario Science Centre, working in collaboration with the Ontario College of Art and Design University’s Life Studies program. Students in this Life Studies class provided artwork for the exhibit.

Sponsors:
The Ontario Science Centre provided professional, printing, and installation support on this exhibition, while the OCADu students provided artwork to be displayed.

Basic Timeline:
        September - December: planning, research, meeting with stakeholders
        December - March: finalize text, design, choose final art
        March - April: Have all exhibition components approved, submit installation plan
        April - May: Receive art
        May 26-30: Installation
        May 30 - September 30: Exhibition on display

Types of Presentations:
This exhibit combines didactic panels, student artwork, and interactive elements. It was important to provide context, so the audience could fully understand and appreciate the art. Creating an accessible bridge to assist visitors who are not necessarily familiar with contemporary art or academic theories of prosthetics was imperative, and the text panels served this purpose.  As this exhibit is in a science centre, having interactive elements was a natural choice. Providing alternative ways of learning was important to the curators, and they worked diligently to create these options. The artwork were the crux of this exhibition. Provided by students, they offer insight into how prostheses can influence expression and self-identity.

Marketing/ Programming:
The marketing for this exhibition is done solely through the Ontario Science Centre’s marketing department. It will be advertised through their website and social media.
       
Outcomes:
        Outcomes will be added when the exhibition opens

Acknowledgements:
The Prosthetic exhibition team would like to thank Ana Klasnja from the Ontario Science Centre, the students and professors from the Life Studies program at OCAD University, and the Semaphore Lab at the University of Toronto.

Discover how prostheses and art can impact identities and self-expression

Science exhibition

prosthetics, art, transhumanism, ableism, science